Millbrook comes together to assist neighbour who lost home in fire

Last Saturday afternoon, Melissa Grant was cutting her 80-year-old grandfather’s lawn near Millbrook when she was contacted by her landlord, who said her house was on fire.

Grant and her two children lost everything in the fire. She had no insurance as she was going to purchase her contents insurance at the same time as her car insurance, just a few days later.

“Thankfully the landlord remembered she wasn’t home. The dog was downstairs, she grabbed Melissa’s dog and her purse,” says Melissa’s mother, Maureen Grant.

Maureen notes Melissa and her family are finding the aftermath of the fire extremely difficult. She adds Melissa was cutting her grandfather’s lawn because she is the kind of person who instantly responds when someone asks for help — but finds it difficult to have to ask or accept help herself.

Co-worker Sylvia Arsenault helped set up a bank account for friends and neighbours to make donations to help the family get back on its feet.

Arsenault agrees Melissa is not the kind of person who finds it easy to ask for assistance, but points out everyone needs a hand every now and then.

“I said, ‘Melissa, you would do the same.’ We have done the same — we’ve done fundraisers for other people,” Arsenault said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation

Donations can be made at any TD Bank to a savings account set up under the name of Tara Grant, Melissa’s sister.