Local students pitch in to help fire victim

Ryan Hanson- Mustangs Ahead

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL)- Last week Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) junior choir student Jon Riley Cooper and his family lost everything in a house fire. His family was not harmed.

Cooper said “Thank goodness the fire didn’t happen at night. We are glad that not all of us were home and those of us that were, (my grandmother), made out fine. I feel that it has brought us closer during this hard time and we are just thankful to have each other.”

His grandma got out of the fire, but they lost two cats, a dog and an iguana. Cooper is from Myakka and explained that the fire truck takes a long time to get out to his house. He, his mother, and grandmother are temporally staying at an uncle's house.

The LRHS choir boosters are raising money to buy Cooper clothes and a few things to get by for now. Mustangs who would like to help are welcome to donate, and can contact chorus teacher Rebekah Lester.

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"Any help would be appreciated. Everything's gone pretty much gone...just the front porch and side porch are left"...everything's gone,” said Cooper’s mother Kristi.

The fire department identified it as an electrical fire, and the first fireman in the house told Kristi Cooper it was the hottest fire he had ever encountered.

"Thank goodness we don't have neighbors close-by. The fire was jumping from the house...if we'd had neighbors any house next door would have burned down, too," added Kristi Cooper.