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topicnews · August 28, 2024

Softball community rallies after Canton family loses home in fire

Softball community rallies after Canton family loses home in fire

CANTON – Donations are being requested to help a family get back on their feet after a fire destroyed their home Saturday afternoon.

Samantha Marapao and her brother Behn Marapao lived with their partners and seven children in the house at 1362 Ivydale Ave. SW. They lost four dogs and two cats in the fire.

Kimmi Koch, who coaches two of the displaced children in softball, has started a GoFundMe account with a fundraising goal of $7,500.

She said the goal of the online fundraiser is to raise enough money to pay the first and last month’s rent, a security deposit and get the family an apartment. The American Red Cross is paying for a stay in a hotel, but that ends Saturday. Koch said the donations could be used to extend the hotel stay.

“The money is there for them, for everything they need,” Koch said.

Koch also collects shoes, clothing, household items, toiletries and school supplies, which can be left on the porch of her home at 1514 Harrisburg Road NE.

The fire occurred less than a week after two girls in the family, 10-year-old Aniyah and 16-year-old Skylah Brownfield, lost their father, Dustin L. Brownfield, in a fatal minibike accident on August 18. He was buried on Monday.

Fatal accident: Canton-area man dies after minibike crash in Perry Township

“It’s absolutely devastating,” Koch said.

She said the family has had to deal with a lot of emotions since the fire.

“I’ve seen them every day since it happened. There are times of laughter, times of tears. I think back to all the memories – holidays, birthdays they spent in that house. It’s all over.”

Samantha and Behn inherited the house from their father, Jeffrey Marapao, a native Filipino.

Aniyah and Skylah were playing softball in Plain Township when the fire broke out.

“They’re not just my softball players,” Koch said. “They’re more like family to me. I’ve known them for years. They’re really good people.”

Koch said she met them three to four years ago after her own daughter, Anna’Lynn Koch, started playing softball with Aniyah and Skylah.

No one was home at the time of the fire, which is still under investigation, said Division Chief Steven Henderson of the Canton Fire Department.

A firefighter and two civilians sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.

Henderson estimated the damage to the building at $104,300 and to the contents at $36,505. The house was insured.

The fire was reported at 4:24 p.m.

Koch said the help that has come from the community since then has been “absolutely amazing. The softball community has been incredible. (Softball) coach (Bryan) Fowler at McKinley High School has been absolutely incredible. He’s helped me tremendously with a lot of information and contacts. The family is very grateful for anything anyone has done.

“Any help is greatly appreciated,” she wrote in her GoFundMe appeal, “but it would be great to keep her in your prayers too.”

The children’s clothing sizes are: Women’s XL, Men’s M, Girls 14/16 and 10/12, Boys 14/16 and 10/12 and Toddler 3. The shoe sizes are Women’s 10, 9.5, 3, Men’s 9.5, Boys 4 and 3 and Toddler 9.

“A stubborn young lady.”: Canton City educators remember 11-year-old who died in house fire

Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or [email protected]. On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.

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