WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — A Pasco County community is coming together after fire severly damaged a neighbor’s home. The flames broke out at a house in the Epperson Lagoon community on Sunday.

What You Need To Know

  • Homeowners in the Epperson Lagoon community are coming together to raise funds for a family impacted by a house fire on Sunday 

  • The house is unlivable and the affected family has had to find somewhere else to stay

  • Neighbors have started a GoFundMe page to help the family pay for clothes and food

Right now, the house is unlivable, and the family has to find somewhere else to stay. The unfortunate event is bringing the best out of the neighborhood.

Inside one Wesley Chapel home, a community is coming together to help one of their fellow homeowners.

“You’re able to rely on your neighbors,” says Betsy Rose, who lives in the Epperson Lagoon community. “It’s really important.”

It’s a neighborhood composed of people like Rose who are taking action. Across the street a fire broke out at this home on Sunday. Consuming just about everything in this family’s garage.

“I still feel like I’m numb,” said Rose. “I could barely sleep last night because it was just devastating news that this happened to our friends who are so kind and so caring and they would do anything for anybody.”

It’s this sense of community that has brought Rose and her neighbors together. All wanting to help out their fellow neighbors. So they started a GoFundMe page for the family.

“They had to go out and buy clothes and food and they need temporary shelter until the insurance kicks in and gets them a place to live because the entire house is gone.”

Even though the home is still standing, the house, as Rose says, needs to be gutted. Leaving the family currently displaced. But the support, so far, has been beyond expectation. Homeowners from neighboring communities have also joined the discussion for helping.

“They feel impacted the same way we do because we’re all just one big happy family,” Rose said.

A big family that has all been affected by this unprecedented act of nature.

Rose says the community is looking into a few other funding options, including a silent auction.

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