BROOKLYN, Ohio — Last week, Mike and Shannon Gaughan of Brooklyn were having the time of their lives in Orlando, Florida, soaking up the sun and celebrating the end of school at Disney World with their three daughters: Madison (15), Keira (8), and Fiona (5).
But just days into their trip, a phone call in the middle of the night changed everything.
"I think it was 4:27 in the morning, from our neighbor, Nicole. She had called my wife and she said, 'You know, are you guys sitting down?' And, my wife said, 'Yeah, we're just waking up, you know, it's early in the morning.' And she said, 'I just wanna let you know that the police and fire are here and your house is on fire,'" Mike said.
Their house was destroyed by smoke and water damage; their precious belongings, gone.
"At that moment, I saw in my wife's eyes that it was just devastating immediately ... it was hard to take in," Mike said.
All the family could do was watch helplessly on a surveillance camera app from their hotel room. Still Mike says there is so much to be grateful for: Their cat Mochi was saved. And, if it weren't for their neighbors, things could have been so much worse.
"Our neighbor Carol and her family were coming down across the street. She just happened to be up and see flames and she ran over with her family and they started pawing on the windows and doors thinking we were, like, inside burning alive," Mike said through tears. "I don't even know how to say thank you."
Now, they're driving back home to Cleveland unsure of what they'll do next.
"We're still waiting for our insurance company to tell us, you know, a place that we can go and stay for the time being," Mike said.
No matter what, they still have each other, and everyone who loves them.
"We have a really good support team of family and friends and people are offering things, but like I said, we're not people to accept stuff or try to put a burden on someone else," Mike said.
According to the Brooklyn Fire Department, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Meanwhile, Mike's sister, Heather, has set up a GoFundMe account to help them get back on their feet. If you'd like to help, click HERE.
