Family Displaced by Fire Needs Your Support

Last Wednesday morning Joe Antonelli, Sr., 88, and his son, Joe Antonelli, Jr., 46, lost everything in a .

arrived just after 7 a.m. to the father and son’s Seventh Avenue home in the Hotchkiss Grove section of town to find flames coming from the front and back of the house. The younger Antonelli had already left the home before the fire started and his father was able to escape on his own. (At the time of the fire, Antonelli, Sr., told firefighters his son might have been inside the house but they found the home to be unoccupied.)

Firefighters battled the blaze for 15 minutes and were able to squelch the fire before any neighboring houses were affected. No one was hurt during the incident and the Fire Marshall’s office is investigating the cause of the fire, which is believed to have originated from the rear bedroom of the house.

Chris Savo, friend and co-worker (at the Elm Cafe) of the younger Antonelli, said his friend, who had been renting the house at 22 Seventh Avenue with his father for more than 30 years, lost everything. “You’re talking about inside a half-hour period, your world is all gone.” 

The Elm Café wwill be holding a at the bar on Saturday, June 4 at 1 p.m. to help the displaced family. Antonelli, Sr., said Savo, has temporarily been living with his daughter and Antonnelli, Jr., has been staying with friends.

Savo said that his friend has been caring for his father, who has early dementia, since his mother passed away several years ago. Without renter’s insurance, the two are trying to get back on their feet and in a place to call home.

"In the years that I've known him," Savo said of Antonelli, Jr., "I have been amazed at his level of devotion to taking care of his father and their home. In addition he always seems to have time for his friends and is always one of the first people there to help others in times of need."

Saturday’s event will feature a flat-screen TV raffle ($10 per ticket) and 30-40 small raffle prizes ($5 for an arm’s length of tickets) donated by area businesses. There is no cover for the fundraiser but Savo said all raffle ticket sales will be donated to Antonelli and his father.

Area band, Rhapsody will headline the event with three other groups performing. Food has been donated by local restaurants and Savo said more than 24 patrons have also offered to cook dishes.

Already overwhelmed by the generosity of the community, Savo is hoping many show-up to help out a friend. "Joe and his father have lost everything they had in that tragic fire which is why we need to do what we can to help them in their time of need. This benefit is our way to show our support for a friend and neighbor and we encourage others to help out by attending this function or donating whatever they can." For more information call the Elm Café at 203-488-9206.

You can join the Antonelli Family Fund Facebook page to support and donate money to the family through The Antonelli Fund set-up at .

Editor's Note: Branford Patch was contacted by several different people requesting a write-up to help the Antonellis–a testament to what kind of people the father and son must be.

*First Niagara Bank is formerly NewAlliance Bank