A Penticton family has been on an emotional roller coaster after dealing with a fire, a new child and a break-in within three days of each other.
Kyle and Jess Stewart, the owners of Soda Creek Soap Co., were forced to leave their home after a fire broke out in a connecting unit on Burns Street.
B次元官网网址淲e saw the black smoke coming out the windows and then tons of firefighters arrived on scene,B次元官网网址� said Kyle. B次元官网网址淭hey got on top of it really quickly and got it under control.B次元官网网址�
Although their own unit didnB次元官网网址檛 suffer any direct fire damage, there was plenty of smoke damage and that meant the family couldnB次元官网网址檛 stay until it was cleaned up. That included tossing out all of the contaminated baby clothes they had, all their other clothing and any damaged furniture.
Emergency Support Services helped put the family up in a hotel, and Kyle began the work of clearing out the contaminated contents of their home.
Then, three days after the fire, Jess went into labour and the family welcomed little William to the world.
B次元官网网址淟uckily my parents were already planning on coming out, so we decided to rent an AirBnB with them, basically,B次元官网网址� Kyle said. B次元官网网址淭hen the night we got into it, JessB次元官网网址� water broke and we went to the hospital at like 1:45 in the morning, then William joined us, which is awesome. WeB次元官网网址檙e stoked about that.B次元官网网址�
Unfortunately, when Kyle went back to their home the next day to continue the hard work of emptying out the damaged clothing and furniture, he found the heartbreaking signs of a break-in.
B次元官网网址淭he side door must have been pried open and then they came in and took everything basically that they could carry,B次元官网网址� said Stewart. B次元官网网址淟uckily we kept most of our appliances, as far as I know, but they took the tv off the wall, gaming systems, collectibles. ItB次元官网网址檚 like kicking a guy while heB次元官网网址檚 down.B次元官网网址�
Although the family wasnB次元官网网址檛 willing to go public with their story after the fire, with their focus on their new baby, the break-in made the decision for them.
Doug Drouin, a local photographer and friend of the family, set up a GoFundMe for the Stewarts and also a personal campaign where heB次元官网网址檇 donate the booking fees for photography sessions to the family.
The Soda Creek Soap Co. website has also been flooded with orders on top of the rush for the holiday season.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been crazy the amount of support that weB次元官网网址檝e seen already,B次元官网网址� said Stewart. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 gonna have to get back to the shop so I can start filling those orders and getting them out to everybody before Christmas.B次元官网网址�
In addition to the GoFundMe and photography sessions with Drouin, Stewart and Soda Creek Soap Co. will be out at Christmas markets in the valley for people who want to pick up some gifts.
Those can be found online at , Douglas Drouin and and at
More announcements about whatB次元官网网址檚 next will be shared on the Soad Creek Soap. Co Facebook page.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got each other, weB次元官网网址檙e happy, weB次元官网网址檙e healthy. WeB次元官网网址檝e still got the business. WeB次元官网网址檝e got what weB次元官网网址檝e just been shown recently, an amazing community that we live in,B次元官网网址� said Stewart. B次元官网网址淗ow much, how much you can ask for?B次元官网网址�
