FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A donation drive has raised more than $15,000 to help a Fort Fairfield family who lost their home in a fire on Wednesday, an outpouring of support spearheaded by Aroostook County residents.
The home of Matthew and Tanya Turcotte was a total loss after a fire early on Dec. 16 that also sent their son to the Shriners Hospital in Boston with serious injuries. The Turcottes lost numerous belongings in the flames, along with a home that they did not have insured.
Only hours after the tragedy struck, the Fort Fairfield community sprung into action. Public safety director Shawn Newell set up a fundraising page on social media for the family and town officials began collecting monetary and clothing donations at the town office and police department building.
Donations from $10 to $2,000 poured in, most coming via the GoFundMe page. As of 11 a.m. Dec. 18, the page had garnered 159 donations and $12,585, far exceeding the $5,000 goal. Information has been widely shared on social media across Aroostook County.
Newell said the response after the tragedy was “staggering.”
“We have people from all over the state, and out-of-state, making monetary donations [and donating] clothing, furniture and household goods,” Newell said. “I literally have no words to describe my appreciation for everyone who has helped.”
Newell said the Turcottes were overwhelmed by the response from the community and appreciated all of the support.
Fort Fairfield’s fire department was called to a structure fire at 125 Fort Hill Street in Fort Fairfield at around 12:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
The Turcottes’ teenage son, Parker, escaped from the flames through a second-story window but suffered severe injuries, police said. Emergency workers took him to Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital in Presque Isle before he was transferred to the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston for further treatment.
Parker Turcotte was in critical but stable condition on Wednesday. His condition had improved on Thursday, with the family hoping that he would be off a ventilator later that day, Newell said. The rest of the family — including the Turcottes’ 13 year old son — all escaped unharmed.
The fundraising effort to help the Turcottes is not the first time public officials in Fort Fairfield have used their platform to help grief-stricken members of their community: Newell said it was the third time since November 2019 he had helped fundraise for families in the aftermath of fires.
Town officials had raised a total of $35,000 in those ventures. Newell said the outpouring of support in this tragedy and others “speaks volumes” about his community.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there’s no better place to be than in The County,” Newell said.
