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Family copes with loss of home, possessions in fire

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Gerard and Barbara Sprosty sit outside of Country Inn & Suites with their dog Raiden. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)

The inside of the Sprosty’s home sustained heavy smoke and water damage. The vinyl siding and the outside of the back portion of the house was also damaged greatly. (Photo by Donna Reed)

One of the two surviving cats received oxygen immediately following the house fire. (Photo by Donna Reed)

By Ted Pennekamp

 

Gerard and Barbara Sprosty lost their house, nearly all of their possessions and two cats when their house caught fire the morning of April 17. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and the family has each other. 

“It was the worst day of our lives, very traumatic,” said Barbara. “But, thank God we have each other. That’s the main thing.”

Barbara said she was in the bedroom watching TV when Prairie du Chien Street Department employees Dirk Steiner and Rich Stovey knocked on the front door at about 8:45 a.m. and alerted her to the fire. 

Barbara’s 16-year-old son Andrew, a 16-year-old friend and a 10-year-old whom Barbara has babysat since his infancy, were in the basement. Barbara said she immediately tried to get everyone out of the house, including one dog and four cats.

At one point, Barbara tried to get out the door leading to the three seasons room at the back of the house open. She couldn’t, and that is a very good thing. She said that Fire Chief Harry Remz later told her that if she had opened that door the increased oxygen would have caused an explosion of fire in the three seasons room and Barbara could have been killed.

Everyone exited out of the front door.

Barbara said the firefighters brought the cats out of the house. Two cats died. The cats were given oxygen by Tri-State Ambulance personnel, using the same mask that is designed for humans.

“He said, ‘I’ve never done this to a cat before,’” Barbara recalled. She said the two surviving cats were on oxygen for three days. They are now at a niece’s house.

The Sprosty family has been living at Country Inn & Suites since the fire. Gerard said Crawford County Human Services and the American Red Cross assisted with the placement. Barbara noted that a stranger staying at the motel overheard a conversation between Barbara and Gerard and then paid for three nights of lodging.

“Until you’ve gone through it, you just don’t understand,” said Barbara. “I finally breathed and stopped crying yesterday.”

“We’re taking it day by day,” said Gerard. “It’ll take time to get back to where we were in life.”

Barbara said she began crying when she first went through the house because of the extensive smoke and water damage.

“The walls were just black with soot,” she said.

Gerard and Barbara said they are looking for a place to rent but have been unsuccessful so far. Gerard said they would like to buy another house, and are willing to rent a house until they can buy it.

The family’s house, at 710 N. Wacouta Ave., was to be their retirement house, said Barbara.

“When something like this happens, you just don’t know where to start,” she said.

Gerard works at Sloan Implement in Bloomington and said his employer has helped out with vacation days so the family can work at getting back on their feet again.

Barbara said a friend, Donna Reed, has started a Go Fund Me account in order to help the family through financial donations as well as donations of clothing, furniture and other items.

“At first, you really miss a lot of little things you take for granted, like coffee cups, tooth paste and toiletries,” said Barbara.

The Go Fund Me campaign has raised $675 from 15 people as of April 25. Items such as furniture, clothing, food or any daily products a person uses are needed. Gerard’s pant size is 38x32. He wears extra large shirts. Barbara’s pant size is 2/3 or 3/4. She wears medium shirts. Andrew’s pant size is 32x34. He wears large shirts.

Anyone interested in donating can go to the website www.gofundme.com/gerald-and-barb-sprosty-house-fire.

“We really appreciate the people who’ve been helping out,” said Barbara. “Thank you. It’s all greatly appreciated and needed.”

“We have to start all over again, but we can do it,” said Gerard. 

“It’s a loss for all of us,” said Barbara. “It’s been emotional and we’re grieving but we have a great relationship.”

Barbara said Andrew got a smile on his face the other day when they were searching the Internet for possible houses.

“We all need something to look forward to,” she said.

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