John and Darla Orem lost nearly everything they own in a house fire last Saturday. They are still thankful. “We have our family...no one was hurt,” they agreed as they, along with five of their seven children, were sorting through what was left of their belongings.

Firefighters responded to the Orem residence at 1614 S. Friendship Road, last Saturday, July 15, around noon, after a passerby noticed smoke coming from the home. Darla, her mother Gracey Willoughby, who lives with them, and the children had all gone to Walmart in Aurora as they usually do on Saturdays. John had left for his job at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, where he works as a security guard.

A neighbor, Jamie Craig, drove to Walmart to tell the family about their home. Darla noted that she was just in “shock” and called her husband. “The first thing he asked was if everyone was okay,” she remembered. She said her greatest concern was their pictures.

Another concern on Darla’s mind was the fact that she had let the insurance coverage lapse. “I knew I had to tell my husband.” She said she had taken the money to pay for attorney fees after a nasty dispute with the Milan schools over one of their children. “I just didn’t have the money for everything,” she sadly noted.

What wasn’t burned in the fire, was smoke or water damaged and the Orems found themselves without a roof over their head. They are temporarily living with John’s 83-year-old mother in a small home. “We slept in a pop-up camper last night,” Darla noted.

While the couple needs everything it takes to set up housekeeping, they are grateful for their lives. When asked what their immediate needs are, Darla said, “We would appreciate anything..if someone wanted to give us a 2x4, or just pray.” John added, “We just need a house.”

They do have specific needs however and they include Pampers Cruisers, size 5 for two of their children, any type of household item (a semi trailer has been donated for them to store things in). They can always use cash to purchase things they need. “We have some clothes that have been given to us,” Darla noted. She said the children still need socks, underclothes, the girls could use hair bows, that type of thing. John requested 70 degree weather, as sweat dropped from his face while he tried to work on what was left of their home.

Four of the children are involved in 4-H and with the fair coming up next week, they were saddened that some of their projects had been destroyed. “I lost my rabbit...it was a grand champion,” noted Athena, who is 14. She said she lost her cake decorating and electrical projects. She continued by saying she had lost many of her collections - Harry Potter and a tiger collection she treasured highly. “The head was burned off one of my favorite tigers,” she sadly noted.

The children living in the house at the time of the fire include: Athena, 14; Breonna, 12; Jesse, 12; Shelby, 8; Clay, 10; John, 3; and Mary, 2.

People wanting to donate can take the items directly to the Orem home, located just off US 50 in Elrod on Friendship Road.

Darla said firemen told them the fire began in the girl’s bedroom and was caused by a hair dryer.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO John Orem and children, Athena and Clay, sort through what is left of their belongings after their home on Friendship Road is destroyed by fire last Saturday. The family of ten has lost nearly everything they owned and were trying to salvage anything they could use.

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