A family is starting from scratch after a devastating house fire, and the community is being asked to help them get back on their feet.
Malelane, South Africa (20 November 2025) – Sometimes life brings sudden changes. Moments you never saw coming and could not possibly prepare for. That is exactly what happened to a family of five in the early hours of 10 November 2025, when their home caught fire while they were asleep.
It was their middle child, just 10 years old, who first woke up to the smell of smoke coming from the thatched roof. In the confusion and panic, he managed to alert his parents, Fred and Veruschka. By the time they woke, the house was already engulfed in smoke and flames.
Acting quickly, the mother broke a window to help everyone escape. She sustained a deep cut in the process, which was thankfully treatable. The entire family made it out safely with only the clothes they were wearing, a pram, and a camping cot for their 11-month-old baby girl. However, everything else was lost.
The fire took their belongings and their livelihood, too. Fred Crafford works as a handyman and contractor, but all his tools were destroyed in the blaze. With the house gone and his equipment lost, he now faces the challenge of rebuilding both his home and his ability to provide for his family.
This has left the family at square one, needing help to simply begin again.
Today, they are in need of support as they try to rebuild from this devastating loss.
A BackaBuddy page has been created to assist the family in starting over. From replacing essential items to helping Fred get the tools he needs to work again.
Any contribution can help them take their next steps forward and begin rebuilding their lives.
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