Times have been tough for a Detroit family with four kids and two pets. However, things suddenly got worse for them when their home caught on fire, destroying almost all their belongings and leaving them with nowhere to go.
Luckily, everyone in the family survived the fire, thanks to their loyal Pit Bull named Blue. Instead of escaping the fire as quickly as he could, Blue stayed behind to make sure firefighters found the youngest child in the flames. He risked his life to save the tiny human, so he’s now the family’s hero.
An Unexpected Fire
Janet Kelley and her family live in the upper unit of a Detroit duplex. A fire broke out in both units when a child in the lower unit found a lighter and set a mattress on fire. The downstairs tenants rushed upstairs to warn their neighbors, but the smoke quickly spread to the other unit and the house next door.
At the time, only two of Kelley’s daughters were home with their uncle. The uncle and one daughter got out safely, but the one-year-old baby was still inside her playpen. Blue knew the youngest family member was still in the burning building, so he refused to walk away from the smoke. When firefighters approached the dog, he ran back into the home and led them to the baby.
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“He went running back into the house because he knew Chantal, my youngest, was in her playpen,” Kelley said. “The firefighters had to chase him up and once they got up there, they realized what was going on.”
When Kelley and her fiancé got home, they were relieved to see that everyone was safe, thanks to Blue. The family had adopted the three-year-old Pit Bull/Lab mix from Detroit Dog Rescue two years ago, and he had been loyal and protective of his loved ones ever since.
Seeking Help From the Community
Blue is a hero for making sure all his humans survived this tragic incident, but without a home, the family has been struggling. Homeless shelters don’t allow pets, so they have been living in their car most days to make sure they don’t get split up. The Red Cross covered a few nights at a hotel for them, but they need a more permanent solution soon.
“No dogs are allowed at a shelter and I refuse to leave Blue because God knows where my family would be without him,” Kelley said.
Kelley asked for help from her landlord, but they claimed there was nothing they could do. The family didn’t have renter’s insurance, so they can’t get compensation for what they lost.
So, the family created a GoFundMe to raise enough money to get a new place to stay and to replace all their belongings. The fundraiser has already earned them almost $85,000, so hopefully, they’ll be back on their feet soon. Their current goal is to find a place to rent where Blue will be welcome with them. They would never leave him behind after all he has done for them.
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