Monday was a normal day at work for Barb Blaedow-Tabbert, until about two hours into her shift.
“I got a phone call from my landlady telling me the house was on fire,” she recalled.
The cottage she rented on Wood Avenue in Severn Township went up in flames around 6 p.m.
She raced home from her job at a gift shop at Casino Rama, arriving to find dozens of firefighters at the scene.
“It was still fully engulfed. My landlady came running over and said, ‘I couldn’t get the cat out,’” an emotional Blaedow-Tabbert told OrilliaMatters on Thursday.
It’s unknown whether her four-year-old cat, Leo, made it out. He hasn’t been found yet.
“My kids are grown, so Leo is my baby,” she said.
Leo was her first concern, but then it sunk in: She had lost almost everything in her home, including photographs, furniture and clothing.
Over the years, Blaedow-Tabbert has also amassed a collection of dragonfly-themed items, including jewelry and an antique lamp. That collection was wiped out.
“I’m very into dragonflies. It means transformation to me,” she said. “I was an introvert and had no self-esteem when I was younger. I’m not the person I was — and that’s the transformation.”
She did not have contents insurance, but that will change.
“A lot of people (who rent) do not have insurance. This was an eye opener for me,” she said.
Knowing Blaedow-Tabbert is one to “never ask for help,” her friend, Dianne Clarkson, decided she would issue the call for assistance. She started a GoFundMe account that can be found here.
“We were all shocked when we heard what happened. I wanted to get the word out and get help,” Clarkson said. “Barb is a good friend. We get into a lot of adventures and misadventures together. I would give her the shirt off my back. I would do anything for Barb. She’s loved by a lot of people.”
Blaedow-Tabbert is holding out hope Leo will be found alive. He is a solid grey, long-haired cat with white on his throat, belly and the tip of his nose. Anyone who sees him is asked to email Clarkson at [email protected].
Blaedow-Tabbert thanked everyone who has assisted her so far, including Red Cross, and Severn fire prevention officer Dianne Kyle, who was “very caring and really helped” at the scene. She is also grateful for those who have donated items ranging from a table and chairs to a curling iron and salt and pepper shakers.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
