Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A local family displaced by a devastating house fire has had an outpouring of community support and now, a new dog to call their own.

AJ and Lindsay Rowe have seven children. The couple purchased their dream home in Deerfield Township – a farmhouse built in 1906 that sits on two acres. AJ is a USMC veteran, who was said to have struggled to find his place after coming home from war. He eventually turned his DIY talents into a full-time, custom goods home-based business - Rustic Marine.

The family barely escaped and lost everything in the fire that broke out on March 13th, including two dogs. All of their children were hospitalized, some in the ER and others in the ICU. As of last weekend, everyone was of the hospital and said to be doing well physically.

Since the fire, the community has rallied around the family with donations. A GoFundMe account was also set up to aid the family - which has thanked the community profusely for all of the prayers, love, and generosity. That page can be accessed here.

The outpouring of support hasn’t stopped, with a local business also stepping up to help the family. After Brighton Ford Owner John Cueter heard their tragic story, he gave the family a home to stay in and a new F-150 to use for the time being.

The family now affectionally refers to Cueter as “Uncle John” and most recently, he showed up to surprise the family with a new four-legged friend to love. A link to the video is provided.

A recent post on the Rustic Marine Facebook page stated “This fire sucks. We lost everything we ever owned. We lost everything special to us we can never replace. We lost our dream. BUT… we have gained so much more. Strangers have turned into friends, and friends have turned into family. Our community is wrapping their arms around us SO tightly. We are overwhelmed with love. We’ve gotten donations from Iowa to New York. This story is reaching far but this story is not about a fire. It’s about what happens after”.