Hartford Keeping the Holiday Alive for Families Affected by Fire

Although two families lost their homes when flames spread through a Hartford house on Thanksgiving eve, the city is finding ways to help keep their holiday traditions alive.

"We were going to have some family over. It was our first Thanksgiving together. We just had a newborn two weeks ago," explained Gary Burns, a resident of 80 Prospect Street, where flames broke out Wednesday afternoon.

Burns, his wife Cynthia Carpenter and their newborn baby are staying a motel after fire forced them from their home.

"I tried to go back in. I almost didn't make it, honestly. The black smoke was just so thick," Burns said. "Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of joy, not a time of hurting."

But with a little help from the Hartford Police Department and Bear's Smokehouse on Arch Street, the displaced families will still get to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at noon tomorrow.

The police department took to social media asking local restaurants to pitch in and help make the holiday special for the families who lost their homes, and Bear's stepped up to the plate.

"Really, we are just trying to give back and be there for people that need it," explained Aaron Brown, of Bear's Smokehouse. "There is going to be no one else in [the restaurant]. We are going to set it up nice for them and hopefully they are going to have a great meal."

For Burns and Carpenter, the turkey and trimmings can't compare to simple acts of kindness like this one.

"It's a blessing to have everyone coming together right now," Burns said. "That is a joy all by itself."

Although the basement of their house is boarded up, Carpenter said she's keeping things in perspective and is grateful for what she does have.

"I'm just happy that we are all alive and OK," she explained. "That's basically what Thanksgiving is about anyway: being thankful that we are all together and alive."

Brown, too, is hoping to turn a tragedy into a time of gratitude.

"Hopefully we can bring some spirit to the disaster that happened," he said.

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