Bama Basketball Assistant Starts GoFundMe After Sister Loses House In Fire

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A big-hearted assistant coach for Alabama men's basketball has launched a GoFundMe for his sister and her family after they lost their house and nearly all of their belongings in a Christmas Day fire in Olean, New York.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

Bryan Hodgson, a New York native in his third season on Alabama's coaching staff, said on Sunday that his sister, Ashley Chase, her husband Casey and their four children were away for Christmas dinner on Saturday, only to return to find their home engulfed in flames.

"They lost every single thing they own except the clothes on their backs," he wrote on the fundraising page, which can be found here.

As of the publication of this story, the GoFundMe had raised just short of $9,000 in a little more than an hour, toward its overall goal of $25,000.

Hodgson was also instrumental in the GoFundMe launched in April to cover funeral expenses for Luke Ratliff — the Alabama basketball super fan who died at the age of 23 due to complications from COVID-19. That GoFundMe drive raised over $20,000 for Ratliff's family.

In addition to the fundraising drive, Hodgson went on to provide a list of immediate needs for his sister's family:

• Baby boy, Kohen: 3-6 month clothes, size 1-2 diapers, Tommie Tippy bottles, nutramigen formula.
• Hazel: 3-year-old girl, 4-5t in clothes, shoes size 9, Good Nights Pull-Ups, size small-medium.
• Kaleb: 14-year-old boy, size XXL shirts, 16-18 pants, 8.5 shoes.
• Hannah: 15-year-old girl, size medium shirts, size 0-2 pants, size 9 shoes.
• Ashley: 32-year-old woman, size L-XL shirts, 10-12 pants, size 7.5 shoes.
• Casey: 35-year-old man, size 38/30 jeans, XXL shirts, 10 1/2 shoes (wide if possible)

Clothing and supply donations can be sent to:

Rachael Johnston
71 Belmont St., Bolivar, NY 14715

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com