‘Where did all these nice people come from?’: Community rallies to rebuild home destroyed by fire

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — Members of the Central Florida community are working hard to rebuild a home that was recently destroyed by a fire.

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Julie Hutchinson says she lost everything she had in the fire last month at her home in the Vista Del Lago community, just three days after she moved in with her grandchildren.

Now, crowds of local residents are moving in to help her rebuild.

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“Before the smoldering stopped, they were here helping,” Hutchinson recalled. “They got me a room to sleep in that night and the following night before the Red Cross showed up.”

Hutchinson says she first bought the home using money from her retirement and from selling a previous home.

She says she chose the house specifically because it was the best way to care for her eldest grandchild, Navaeh, who has medical needs.

Community helps grandmother whose house burned down 3 days after moving in The family and the community are looking for resources and skilled help to get them back into the place they once called home. (WFTV)

The fire happened just three days after the family got their keys and before their home insurance took effect.

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“I think it was divine intervention I was led to Vista Del Lago,” Hutchinson said. “You know, this community has embraced me like you would not believe. My grandson even said to me, ‘Grandma, where did all these nice people come from?’”

That community includes Lowe’s, which donated drywall and the crews to install it.

Crews from Colorworx will do the painting. B.T. Express and the Junk Removal Warriors are helping with labor and the tools to put it all together. Pieology Pizzeria even donated food, all to help get Hutchinson and her family back into their forever home.

Sunshine Christian Church contributed dumpster donations and a second collection benefitting the family. Xelerate Equipment also donated a dumpster.

“I was led here for a reason,” Hutchinson said. I don’t know the reason for the fire yet. I think it will come to me at some time a year or two down the road. This was something I needed to experience.”

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Community members say there’s still work to be done, and more donations and volunteers are needed.

They expect to complete the project by July.

Find a GoFundMe link to assist the Hutchinson family here.

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