Melanie and Jeff Cousino of New Ipswich lost nearly all of their possessions – as well as several pets – in a house fire that destroyed their home last week. The community has rallied for them, donating more than $5,000 for the Cousino’s immediate expenses as they work to figure out their next steps.
In addition to cash donations, jewelry maker Jessica Blais is also running a sale on a special line of upcycled bracelets with all sales going to support the family. Blais knows all too well the exact situation the Cousinos are facing – she was in the same situation in 2016, when her own home burned to the ground, and she and her family were left with nothing but the clothing on their backs.
“Having been through it, it hit my heart,” Blais said. “I received so much. I know how much it takes to get back on your feet.”
Even now, Blais said, she sometimes still forgets and searches for an item that is long lost. She said she also knows how difficult it can be to accept help. A life-long Yankee, Blais said there were times she felt they should be standing on their own. But looking at it from the other side now, she says she knows she was right to accept that help then – because people want to help.
The Cousinos have received a similar outpouring. They are currently staying with friends while they are waiting for a temporary trailer to be installed on their property while they rebuild the wreckage of their home. And in addition to the “flood” of orders for bracelets Blais has received, 100 percent of which will go to the Cousinos, a GoFundMe account for the couple has topped $5,400 in a few days.
Melanie Cousino said the support has been overwhelming to help them recover from an experience that all but wiped out their entire household of possessions.
“This community, this town, has been amazing,” Cousino said. “When I first moved here, a neighbor told me that I would probably always feel like an outsider, because I’m not from here. That’s never been true for me. This community has a lot of love.”
Cousino said the day of the fire, she was asleep, while her husband Jeff was downstairs.
“I was woken up to him saying, ‘Honey, there’s a fire on the porch.’”
Horrifyingly, Cousino said, the porch is on the same side of the house where the couple was keeping a litter of their German Shepherd puppies, which Cousino breeds.
“I yelled, ‘Get the puppies!’”
The Cousinos have five adult dogs and two cats in addition to their litter of puppies, and Cousino said their first priority was to get the animals out. But by the time she got to the room housing the puppies and was able to grab three of them, smoke was already coming into the room. She was able to go back into the room and get two more of the puppies, but at that point, even though there were still dogs left in the room, the smoke had become thick and the situation dangerous.
“Going down the stairs, there was just a pinprick of light at the bottom, and it seemed like a million miles away,” Cousino said.
She wanted to go back in anyway, Cousino said, but her husband wouldn’t let her – which Cousino admits now was the wise decision. When she looked back at the house, she could see the windows of the second story melting.
The whole thing, she said, was made worse by the helplessness of not being able to call for help right away. Cousino said the couple doesn’t have cell phone coverage where they are, and the fire quickly spread and knocked out their landline. It was not until a neighbor noticed the fire and was able to call for help that the fire crews were dispatched.
“That delay of 10 minutes, knowing that our pets were dying, but unable to do anything, was the worst part. We were on the walkway, and I’m screaming,” she said.
The fire department arrived swiftly once they were notified, but the Cousinos lost three puppies, two cats, and a pet mouse. Cousino said her focus now will be on recovering from the ordeal, rebuilding, and pushing for better coverage for the area. She said those 10 minutes could have been crucial. And while she was devastated by the loss of her animals, she said it could have been much worse – it could have been a person they couldn’t get to.
“I would like to see a tower that covers this area, which I know is a tough sell. But I’m willing to do what it takes to get it done. There’s a lot riding on it,” Cousino said.
A relief fund for the Cousinos has been established at TD Bank. A GoFundMe account has been set up in their name and is available at tinyurl.com/cousinofire. Rejuve Array Jewelery is hosting a fundraiser selling jewelry with pawprints and the word “Milovat” or Czech for “to love” in honor of Melanie Cousino’s Czech heritage, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Cousinos. Visit the Rejuve Array Jewelry page for more information about pricing and how to order.