The response to a family in need is just what you’d expect from Hastings anytime but especially at Christmastime.
The Bauer family lost their home in Vermillion Monday but almost like the storyline in a holiday movie is being treated to their best Christmas ever.
Mike Bauer got a call just before 3:30 p.m. Monday that there was a fire at their home 210th Street East in Vermillion. He was working at the nearby farm. By the time he rushed home, the first floor was engulfed in flames.
“My wife (Amy) had our youngest son, and they just smelled smoke, something like burning plastic. There was an ice cream pail that was washed out earlier, and she thought maybe a burner got left on and it was starting to melt. She went and looked at the stove, and there was nothing wrong there. She went into the living room. There’s a stairwell that goes downstairs. There was a little bit of smoke coming out. She went down the stairwell into a hallway past two bedrooms. She kind of peered around the corner into our furnace room, and she noticed there was flames, there were actual flames shooting out. She turned around, went upstairs yelling for the kid to get moving and they got out of the house, so they got out all right. She called 911 immediately. She got them coming. She called me, and I was working on the farm across the road. By the time I got there, which was five minutes, the first floor was engulfed in black smoke. There was no way a person could see or retrieve anything,” Mike said.
Firefighters from Hastings, Hampton/Randolph, Prescott and other agencies responded to the fire which spread through the home.
The Bauers have eight children, four still at home. They’ve lived in the home for most of the 28 years they’ve been married, except for a few years when they lived in Hastings when their older children were involved in school activities.
“We wanted to be out in the country again. It’s a better lifestyle for us,” Mike said.
He said an investigator from his insurance company believes that an electrical short caused the fire. The wire coating was worn though at a staple.
“It eventually got hot enough, and it ignited. The wiring was probably installed 20-30 years ago,” Mike said.
The Bauers are living with Mike’s father now but are looking to rent a home until theirs is rebuilt.
To say they are being inundated with community support is perhaps an understatement. Grace Bauer set up a gofundme plea looking to help the family. As of Saturday morning, it had raised $38,000, $3,000 over its goal of $35,000.
She wrote on the GoFundMe page, “My name is Grace Bauer, daughter/sister to the Bauer family whose house caught fire in Hampton, MN. I’ve set up this page for family, neighbors, friends and the community who have asked how they can help.
“The Bauer family is devastated with the loss of their home. This family of six, with two parents, two teen daughters and two young sons, needs your help during this traumatic experience. Nobody ever thinks this could happen to their childhood home, their dad's childhood home, their grandpa's childhood home until it does. My parents and four siblings who lived at home lost everything, not to mention all my siblings and me, my dad and aunts/uncles, and my grandpa lost the home they grew up in. My grandpa was literally born in that house.
“The fire left my family with nothing but the clothes on their back. They are now faced with an overwhelming task of rebuilding their lives from nothing and with many, many unanticipated expenses.
“Thank you for your support and for extending a helping hand to this family in their time of crisis. The support that the community has already shown is the beacon of hope this family so desperately needs.”
Mike Bauer said the family is amazed at the outpouring of love, help and support.
“This community is something else. It’s almost overwhelming, the support and concern and the prayers and everything the community is doing, it makes you have faith back in humanity. When you’re down on your luck in our community, no matter what your situation is, community is there to help you out. That’s very refreshing.,” he said.
On Friday, he dropped off a son who attends St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School.
“I was told I needed to stop in the office to get a few things that were dropped off, and I came home with my van half full, plus there was an envelope full of gift cards. It’s amazing how much people are actually out there doing above and beyond in my opinion of what I ever thought they would,” Mike said.
He said the kids have adjusted well.
“They all are troopers. They are taking it in stride. They all put their best foot forward. They miss their home, but they realize this is what life has dealt us, but we have some strong support. We can get through it. God is looking out for us, and we’re just moving forward,” said Mike. “We’re so thankful. I just want to say thank you to anyone and everyone who said a prayer for us, gave a donation or had a kind thought toward us or helped spread the word of our situation or whatever it may be. That means a lot to us. We’re overwhelmed with all the generosity that we’ve received. It makes us very proud and happy to be a part of this community we’re living in.”
So, despite the loss, the Bauers are prepared to have perhaps their best Christmas.
“I’d say we have each other, and that’s the best gift we can give each other,” said Mike.
