Community Corner
'Lost Everything': LI Helps Couple, 23 Cats Displaced By Raging Fire
A GoFundMe has been organized to help a Copiague couple with 23 cats whose home was destroyed by a devastating fire last week.
COPIAGUE, NY — The Long Island community is rallying to help a couple—and their 23 cats— who were displaced by a devastating house fire in the early hours of Jan. 9.
Terri and Jim Stephanie didn't just lose their home on that fateful day, both were hospitalized with injuries from escaping the fire. Jim suffered a fractured spine and other broken bones after jumping from a second-story window; Suffolk police said Terri was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
While Terri and Jim recover at Nassau University Medical Center, community members have been searching the rubble left by the blaze daily hoping to find and rehome the cats.
Find out what's happening in Lindenhurstfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
So far, search teams have recovered one feral, outdoor cat the couple cared for. Sadly, no indoor cats have been found alive, according to John Debacker, vice president of Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution, a non-profit dedicated to helping feral cats on Long Island.
"Right now we have recovered six deceased cats, 17 are still missing," Debacker told Patch.
Find out what's happening in Lindenhurstfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The couple's friend, Marie Rivera, launched a GoFundMe to help them rebuild their life. As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser had garnered 355 donations.
In addition, Tender Loving Cats, a Deer Park-based organization dedicated to helping cats, has organized a clothing drive for Terri and Jim.
On the GoFundMe, Rivera wrote:
"Terri and Tim are my beloved friends. Last night, a terrible fire took their home from them.
"They barely got out alive. They are alive and recovering in intensive care. They have fractured spines and broken bones from jumping from a 2nd story window.
"They are also suffering from terrible smoke inhalation. The recovery is going to be very long. They lost everything they owned!!! We need your help to help them!
"Terri and Tim are also big in the animal rescue world. Cats are their life!! They have 23 beloved cats in this home. The search continues to find them!!"
"Please donate whatever you can to help Terri and Tim for their recovery and to start over their lives. We appreciate anything."
Click here to help Terri and Jim Stephanie rebuild their life.
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