Caroline County family left homeless after devastating house fire, community steps up to help

CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Caroline County family is facing unimaginable loss after a massive house fire on Wednesday destroyed their home, leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Steven and Amanda See, along with their four children, watched helplessly as flames engulfed their house on Wednesday, Jan. 29, consuming everything they owned within minutes.

Fortunately, no one was inside at the time. Amanda had just left to take her son to school when she received a call about the fire. Looking up, she saw a thick column of smoke rising into the sky miles away.

“With all of the sad and terrible things you see going on, we didn’t really have faith that we would receive as much help -- we didn’t expect it,” Amanda said. “The first 24 hours, we were emotional train wrecks -- not because we lost our home, but because people cared and loved us and showed up, even people who didn’t know us.”

Everything the family cherished -- clothes, toys, computers and even their children’s basketball trophies -- was reduced to ashes. While the loss has been overwhelming, the community quickly rallied around them.

Neighbors, schools, organizations and old coworkers have provided donations, supplies and financial assistance to help the family start over.

“Since then, I mean, I can’t even count. We’ve had so many organizations, schools, friends and family, old coworkers who have all stepped up to support us,” Amanda said.

For their children, the adjustment has been particularly difficult. Their youngest son, who is autistic, has struggled the most.

“He’s very out of sorts,” Amanda explained. “Getting him to rest and eat has been tough because he’s so confused about what happened.”

The family is still trying to process the loss, with daily reminders of the life they once had.

“We still haven’t really come to terms with the fact that this has happened,” Amanda said. “We still find ourselves going, ‘Let’s head home… wait a second, we can’t.’”

Despite everything, the See family remains hopeful and grateful for the overwhelming support they’ve received.

“We would’ve struggled even more if we didn’t have the hundreds of people who have really come together,” Amanda said.

Now, the family is searching for a rental home where they can stay together as they begin the process of rebuilding -- on the very same spot where their home once stood.

You can donate to help the See family rebuild by clicking here.