SPRING LAKE, Mich. — A fire in Spring Lake Friday left a single mom with nothing after working for years to build a life and a home on her own for her five children.
Now, she's at her sister's house, not sure where to go.
"I smelled that fire," says Alissa Zamarron-Saylor.
Alissa says it's a good thing her kids were at their dad's house Friday.
"It's actually just about the kids,” she says. “They lost their home. They lost everything they have.”
Everything this mom of five worked for — for years — burned up in minutes.
"You're watching your home die. There's nothing you can do about it," says Alissa.
Zamarron-Saylor has heard the question “Why don't you have fire insurance?” more than enough times.
She says the age of her home made fire insurance nearly impossible.
And money for this mom is tight.
"I just had a hard time coming up with the money for the cap and gown," Alissa explains.
Adding insult to injury, "Everything had been looted. Whatever was of value, was gone."
Alissa says even what was left after the fire — two lawn mowers, a kayak, her power washer — taken overnight, right after the fire happened.
"Just picking whatever's left of the bones,” says Alissa. “That would have been stuff I was able to just sell."
Now, she's got no choice but to figure out a plan to get this trailer torn down and find a place where both her family and pets can live again.
"You have to keep going,” Alissa says. “Because you have kids. I can't just go lay down and put my head under the blankets like I want to. You have to get up and take that step."
She says the work — and what's ahead — is overwhelming. But she's grateful to start a new job next week and rebuild with not much left … at all.
"Definitely a lot of work ahead of me," she says.
If you want to help get this family back on their feet, consider donating to their GoFundMe page or connect them to resources.
