Good Morning Angels: Helping a family that lost everything in the fire, including their three-year-old son

GOOD MORNING ANGELS 1 FEBRUARY 2017 (SHAUN COETZEE/ROUND TABLE)

The Coetzee family lost so much more than a house in a fire - they lost their 3-year old son, Shaun 

REQUEST FROM: Rochelle Nel

REQUEST FOR: Johan and Marlene Coetzee and their 3 surviving children: Danielle, Kayla and Karlien

ANGEL 1: Christo Bezuidenhout from the Round Table

SPONSORING: The Round Table has an annual fundraising concert to help assist people in need. They will help the Coetzee family with expenses and to replace some of the lost appliances with a donation of R 25 000,00.

ANGEL 2: The Good Morning Angels Fund

SPONSORING: The GMA Fund will match the Round Table donation with another R25 000,00 to help the Coetzee family with expenses and to replace some of the lost appliances.

BACKGROUND: The Coetzee family has suffered the worst possible loss, when their house burnt down on 20 January 2017. It started as a normal back-to-school Friday. 7-year old Kayla and 13-year old Danielle were at school and dad, Johan was at work. Mom Marlene was in the kitchen at home while 3-year old Shaun and 2-year old Karlien were playing in the living room. It was 8:30 in the morning, when their lives changed forever. According to investigations an electrical short sparked a fire in the roof above the living room. Marlene heard Shaun give a yell and called him to ask if they were okay. He didn’t respond and she thought they were just playing. There was another yell and when Marlene walked into the living room, it was filled with smoke and she could see flames. She smell anything, as she lost her sense of smell and taste in a road accident four years before. The smoke was so thick, she couldn’t see her children. Shaun emerged with his sister, Karlien and told Marlene to take her. She grabbed her and ran outside - thinking Shaun was right behind them. Outside, she realised he wasn’t with them and by that time the living room was engulfed in flames. It took only four minutes for the house, with its old wooden floors, to burn out. They had lost everything, but worst of all, they lost little Shaun. 

ORIGINAL REQUEST:

Good Morning Jacaranda & the team,

I come to you today with so much sadness, a broken heart and begging for your help! A Friend of our family was hit by a huge tragedy on Friday morning the 20th January 2017.

Their house burned down and sadly their little 3 year old son Shaun burned to death. This little boy was loved by all as we all saw him grow up in front of our eyes as we have been friends since our children were in nappies.

Little Shaun was such a happy little boy with the most endearing smile, so friendly and always playful. Shaun was part of our lives, he used to come to our flat to play with my little girl Kylie. The cheeky little guy always wanting some “NANNAS“  sweeties. The people in Marsteph Flats, where they use to live before they moved to their “new home” all knew when little Shaun came around as he would do his rounds to say "hello" to all of us. The clever little guy knew he would get a sweet at every flat he visited as no one could resist  giving him a sweetie J. You may have read or heard about this devastating event and the entire story is on Face book, The Germiston City News and in the Huisgenoot .

Little Shaun saved his little 2 year old sister of 2 by dragging her out of the smoke to his mom. That makes him a HERO in my book!!!!!

Why he never came out we will never know.

Shaun’s surviving family members are in dire need of any help. Dad Johan, mom Marlene and their 3 children, Danielle, Kayla and Karlien are left with absolutely nothing but sadness, tears and questions only GOD can answer!!!!!

The community has been very generous and helped with clothing, food and bedding.  

Below is a list of appliances they still need.

·         TV

·         Microwave 

·         Deepfreeze

·         Meat

·         Vegetables 

·         Bedroom set 

·         Basic house hold goods

·         Fridge that they were given needs to be re-gassed

This family needs absolutely everything. They have no furniture, no household goods or food for that matter as all was lost in the devastating fire.

They are in need of money too. They do not have any extras as like many average families they just make it through from salary to salary. They need to pay the excess for the House Insurance and they just do not have the money. They do not  have insurance on any of household goods, so they basically need absolutely everything! Leonora at Harcourt’s in Elsburg, is helping them with a temporary living space until such time as the old house is hopefully rebuilt through the Bond Insurance. We all are well aware how long this could take?

While having to cope with reality of  everyday things they have to arrange  little Shaun’s funeral which will be held on Thursday.

This little flower of God was picked far too early as he was needed in heaven. I am asking you to please help his family  as the now have to rebuild a new life filed with so much sadness and memories.

We pray to help them with hope, faith, love and mercy in Shaun’s name.

Please , Please Help this Family Jacaranda.

God Bless You,

Rochelle Nel