SOUTHWICK – There really are good people left in this world. Just ask Thomas Delnegro and Hanna Turner.
The Southwick couple is touting the generosity of others after the community came together to help the family following a Christmas fire that left them with nothing.
“We lost everything,” DelNegro said. “We don’t have a fork . . . or a towel . . . everything was lost.”
But the family is feeling blessed these days. They survived, along with their two year-old son who was sleeping at the time. Turner smashed a basement window to pull her son out of the fire and is happy to hold him in her arms today.
“He is home with us and we are all going to make a full recovery,” DelNegro said.
Young Samuel was taken to Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston and spent Christmas Day there. Turner said he received gifts at the hospital and was able to celebrate Christmas while being treated for smoke inhalation. Luckily, no one was burned in the blaze that destroyed the three-family lakeside home.
“Every day feels like Christmas now,” Turner said. “Every day we receive a new gift.”
Friends and co-workers rallied together to help replace what they lost. DelNegro’s friend Brian Burke, of Westfield, put out a call to friends and family and within a day or two received enough donations of furniture and clothing to get the family back on their feet.
“Brian was a crusader,” DelNegro said. “He got almost a whole house worth of items for us.”
One of the four other victims of the fire works at Nora’s Restaurant and a collection was taken up by the owners there to benefit the victims. The couple said they are grateful and have a renewed faith in people.
“I’m overwhelmed and comforted and feeling loved,” said Turner. “I never knew so many people cared.”
DelNegro said complete strangers have made donations of items and money to help them.
“We were in the hospital talking and crying and a woman on the other side of the curtain heard us and handed us a check for $200,” DelNegro said. “I’m crying again now just thinking about it.”
Turner said they have cried many tears of joy since the fire. Instead of focusing on their loss, they are focusing on their son, their health, and their community.
“We are so grateful,” said DelNegro. “And we want to make sure people remember there are four other victims of the fire and a fund for them. We have been given so much – we cannot thank people enough for what they’ve done. How do you thank people for this?”
