SPRING BRANCH, Texas — In the neighborhood of Whispering Hills, it’s not hard to find the neighbors who are helping out Jim Losee and his wife Jean Perry clean up their single story home that went up in flames the morning of January 2.
Matt Henry has been helping the elderly couple since that devastating day. He lives with his mother Peggy just across the street, and has been the Losee’s neighbor for 12 years.
“I saw fire trucks, the sheriff’s department, everyone was here that day,” said Henry.
Henry said numerous first responders traveled up the hilly neighborhood to tackle the fire ripping through the couple’s home. At the time, he didn’t know if the couple had made it out, but they did, with help from another neighbor.
“We found out they were okay, and then we wanted to know what else we could do,” he said.
Henry said the couple left with only the clothes on their back and their cars. The couple was later relieved to find out their cat, a well-known neighborhood feline, had made it out too.
“She doesn’t like to be in a cage or anything like that so we couldn’t bring her to our [temporary] place. However, we’ve seen her just about every day here since the fire,” said Perry.
Perry said an electrical malfunction in the attic is likely to blame for the fire. However, she can’t help but blame herself for not having a smoke detector in the upstairs room. Now that the initial shock has faded, she and her husband are ready to move forward.
“It’s therapy going into the house and trying to salvage what we can,” she said.
Despite heavy soot in the house, they recovered a special chest built by Jim’s great-great grandfather, a picture from the couple’s first date and crosses.
“One of the firefighters said in every house fire he’s been in, he’s never seen a bible burned or a cross burned. That just made me so happy to see those recovered,” Perry said.
Perry and her husband also shed tears in gratitude for their neighbors help.
“I can’t believe all of the stuff people are doing for us,” said Losee.
Some neighbors are donating their time at the house, while others are giving online through a Go Fund Me account started by Henry.
“The account is to help buy everything they have lost and to help with medical expenses because they aren’t in the best health,” said Henry.
Perry lives with lupus and Losee lives with numerous health issues, many of them involving his heart. Henry said a hunded percent of the donations will go to the couple to help ‘rebuild their life’.
“They are just two of the most wonderful people you can meet,” he said.
For now, the couple is looking forward to rebuilding their home with the help of neighbors. However, Perry said there are two items they plan to have in the new house.
“I would advise everybody to put a smoke detector in their attic, and with the cost of inflation now, I would up your home owners insurance. It will be a cost but in the end it will serve you well,” she said.