Fire Kills Son and Destroys Home
Tragedy struck on May 25, 2025, and Catherine and David Paavola of Elo (Pelkie), Michigan, were devastated by the loss of their 39-year-old son Alex and their two-story house. A fire took both. Memories and ashes, along with a few structurally unsound walls, were all that remained. It’s a loss that few can fathom.
Catherine and David have a strong faith. That strong faith carried them through the difficult and challenging years of Alex’s adult life as he dealt with mental illness. Despite the constant stress of facing these all-consuming challenges of their son, they would have given the shirt off their back to help anyone else in need. They generously provided aid where needed, supplying food or help on projects, loaning equipment, and always being genuinely interested in others’ needs or in lending a listening ear. They lived by God’s two greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbor.
Catherine and David, both in their upper seventies, are strong-willed people. Although overwhelmed by grief and loss, they are still putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward as they make plans to build a new house and bury their son. A hundred and more pages of paperwork have to be filled out for insurance purposes. A camping trailer for temporary housing is needed. The new house needs to be built by winter. To cut costs, they are doing as much of that work themselves. They are hopeful that once the insurance comes through, many of those costs will be covered.
The fire didn’t only take their son and house structure. A home is filled with all of the clothes and shoes you wear, food you eat, and the numerous items one needs for daily living. Pens and paper, pots and pans, towels and linens on your bed, soap, tin foil, toilet paper, salt, and pepper. This is just a sample. The list goes on and on. They are basic immediate needs.
I am now asking for your help to support Catherine and David. Any monetary donation you can give would help immensely to relieve the stress in providing for basic immediate needs. They do feel comforted knowing that their son Alex has been released from his demons. But they now need to rebuild their lives for the losses they have suffered. Please, love a neighbor!
