Goshen woman who lost home in sparkler fire thanks community for support

Meredith Char says a spark from her 11-year-old son’s handheld sparkler caught leaves on fire under her porch, and within minutes, the house on Corral Lane in Goshen went up in flames.

Blaise Gomez

Jul 6, 2022, 3:12 PM

Updated 883 days ago

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Meredith Char raised her three children in their home, but after a weekend of Fourth of July celebrations, all but the memories they had inside went up in flames. 
“This is the only home all of my kids have ever known,” said Char. “It was so fast. All I could do was just stand there and watch.” 
Char says a spark from her 11-year-old son’s handheld sparkler caught leaves on fire under her porch, and within minutes, the house on Corral Lane in Goshen went up in flames. 
Despite the tragedy, Char says there’s a silver lining. 
“The outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming,” said Char. “I’m humbled.” 
A GoFundMe page for the family raised more than $30,000 in a day. 
Local restaurants are offering free food and neighbors are taking in donations. 
Others helped find a company to tow Char’s car and replace a burned key. 
“The amount of love and support has been amazing,” said Char. 
The family is staying in a nearby hotel and is starting over from scratch. 
Char says she hopes to rebuild and one day pay it forward.