Joliet Family Displaced By Fire Needs Clothes: Church

JOLIET, IL - Members of the Joliet community are stepping up to help a Joliet family that lost everything in a house fire on Monday night. The fire has left Teddy Giovanini and his wife Vi hospitalized at the Loyola University Medical Center. They suffered burns during the late night blaze inside their house on Lilac Lane. The fire also displaced the elderly couple's grandson, his wife and two great-grandsons, who lived in the basement where the fire originated.

Crossroads Christian Church, which recently moved to Essington Road at the old Dominick's, is accepting donations for the injured couple's 25-year-old grandson, his 23-year-old wife, and their two young boys.

"Grandboys are ages one and three. No need for toys as they've got plenty at my house," a relative of the fire victims wrote on Facebook Thursday. "But they need diapers (size 4 and 6) and clothes 18 months to 2T and also 4T. Daughter-in-law is age 23 and very tiny but tall. She wears size small."

As for Teddy and Vi Giovanini's 25-year-old grandson, he wears size 38 and XXL or XXL tall.

"Please bring any of these items to the church during office hours 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and we will get them to the family," the message on Facebook reads. "And please continue to pray for the great-grandparents of the little boys who were badly burned in the fire and in critical condition. Thank you!"

The cause of Monday night's blaze that left the Joliet couple hospitalized at the Loyola University Medical Center remains under investigation, according to a Joliet Fire Department battalion chief. The structure fire at 1007 Lilac Lane was reported at 11:36 p.m. Firefighters from nearby Station 6 responded quickly as did engines and ambulances from Station 5 and Station 8. The relatives who lived in the basement were able to safely escape, however, Joliet firefighters had to go inside to rescue the husband and wife from the main level of the home.

Ambulances rushed the couple to Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, according to the fire department. Joliet firefighters were able to extinguish the house fire quickly. It was under control at 11:49 p.m., the battalion chief told Patch.

This week's house fire on Lilac Lane began in the basement and spread to the main floor. There were two dogs at the home. One dog escaped the fire, but one dog died, fire officials said.

On Tuesday, Joliet City Councilman Don "Duck" Dickinson posted on Facebook, at the request of Paula Giovanini Babich, that her father, "Teddy (The Legend) Giovanini and her mother Vi were involved in a fire last night. They are at Loyola in the Critical Trauma Burn Unit. They are in pretty bad shape."

The Joliet councilman also noted that, "For my friends who played softball, Yes this is Teddy from Softball. The family is asking for your prayers. Thank you all. Please pray."

On Wednesday, councilman Dickinson issued another Facebook post.

"UPDATE FOR Jan. 31st: "Ted and Vi are SLIGHTLY better. Ted's kidneys are functioning on their own. Ted and Vi took breaths on their own today (NOT ALL DAY) ... Friends, by no means are they out of the woods. But this is positive. Please keep the thoughts and prayers coming. The family really appreciates all of your support. Thank you!"

Image of Ted "Teddy" Giovanini provided to Patch with permission to use