Relying on kindness of strangers
Family loses home to fire, gains support network
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The home of the Nenaydykh family in New Berlin was destroyed by fire in December 2008 Photo By Photo Courtesy of Patricia Nenay
New Berlin — The memory of hellish flames engulfing a New Berlin family's home last Christmas were shoved aside this Christmas by memories of a year of warmth and goodness since that tragedy.
"There was an outpouring of caring and love," said Patricia Nenaydykh, who had fled the family home into the coldest night of 2008 with her husband and 8-year-old son. It was just four days before Christmas 2008.
As the little family watched in horror as flames devoured their home of 13 years, they wondered how they would ever recover. All they had left were the clothes on their backs, and hardly even that. Their son Genya had no shoes and Patricia had no coat.
But that very night, they were to learn that they were not alone.
Neighbors reach out
Their next-door neighbors on Hanke Drive, Phillip and Crystal Stolowski, took them in and labored long into that terrible night.
"I think they were with my husband until 2 or 3 in the morning while the fire department was working on the house," Patricia said.
The next day, money, clothes and food came to the beleaguered family from all quarters - neighbors, family, friends.
"It was just overwhelming," she remembered somewhat tearfully now more than a year later.
And while the family desperately searched for a temporary apartment, Stolowski extended family members were busy, too.
One Christmas angel took all the melted toys that were to be young Genya's Christmas presents back to the store. There she was allowed to exchange them for all new gifts. Then she wrapped them all up so the little guy could have some kind of a Christmas.
Another member of the clan hit the stores braving last-minute Christmas shopping mobs to hunt up presents for the whole family. Then she wrapped them all and delivered them not in Santa's sleigh but with boxes and boxes of food for the stranded family.
Patricia remembers being humbly grateful and astonished those first new days at how others, some of whom she didn't even know, rushed to her side and to that of her husband, Yakov, and son.
"It's selfless and so kind," she said this week of all the efforts undertaken on the family's behalf.
The Stolowskis took up a collection and neighbors gave the family money, gift cards and food. Genya's teacher at Poplar Creek Elementary School spearheaded a collection that blossomed into gift cards to a local grocery store. Boy Scouts at Poplar Creek also took up a collection.
All of it was a Godsend.
"Oh, gosh, it was so welcome," Patricia said. "We have a wonderful insurance company, but it took time to get money. We had nothing, no pots or pans or dishes."
However, through the efforts of many, the family had money to buy the necessities of life, she said.
The Sanctuary Apartments on Moorland Road threw another lifeline by clearing the decks so that the family could move right into an apartment. So in a week, the family was out of Yakov's parents' in downtown Milwaukee and back home in New Berlin.
And throughout the year, people have remembered the plight of the little family who lost their home just before Christmas. Gifts of furniture, pictures, lamps and other household items have flowed into their lives from the hearts of others.
"I am so grateful, I am thankful for everything," Patricia said.
New home built
And now that furniture and those pictures and lamps are in the family's new home that rose from the ashes of the old.
And during the rebuilding process, she was there almost every day and was buoyed by neighbors coming and asking how the family was doing and if they could help.
Knowing that you are in the thoughts and prayers of others is profoundly important, Patricia said she has learned.
You can be a pillar of strength the way her friend Barb Tsoris of West Allis was or you could just shoot over a little note, she said.
"People need to know that even a card saying, 'I'm thinking of you,' means so much when you go through a tragedy," Patricia said. "Every thought and prayer is so appreciated."
The family spent a happy Christmas in their new home last week. And it could have been so different.
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