The McCoy family in happier times.

On May 9 thanks to a Pit Bull dog named Nellee the McCoys: Jayson,Jessica, Callum and Aurora of Mountain Pass Road were alerted and escaped from a house fire caused by a dryer. Two days later they have learned only the structure is covered by insurance and they have lost the contents. People are rallying around them in support. A great deal of water and smoke damage on the first level will be hard to recover– but personal mementos will likely be the saddest loss to the young family as they will be hard to replace.

One of the helpers is Heidi Miller who  contacted the Botetourt View and here is what we have so far. EverRibbon is a site to collect  donations of money for the  family. You can do so by clicking the blue links.

Here is what Miller and Jayson McCoy had to say:

On May 9th 2012 the McCoy family lost the first floor of their house to a fire. If it was not for the dog Nelle’s, continuous barking, Jessica would have went to bed, but because of her Pit Bull the whole family made it out safe and sound. Jessica tried to put out the fire. Sadly, by the time she got to the dryer it had already consumed the back mud room and was engulfing the living room. Her motherly instinct kicked in. She grabbed the kids, Callum, Aurora, the dog Nellie and escaped, while calling 911. Jayson was on his way home from work when he got a text from Jessica. By the time he arrived, the house was destroyed.”

Update From Jayson McCoy: May 10th

“So thanks to The Red Cross we are in the Howard Johnson in Daleville tonight, then Saturday and Sunday night. They are sold out tomorrow night because of the VT graduation but we are happy to have real beds and real stuff to sit on. All of y’alls thoughts and prayers are being answered. We have been so blessed by the outpouring of community and family support that I can’t even keep up with the “Thank Yous” so if I fail to personally recognize you for anything, just imagine me hugging up on my family and Nellee!”

McCoy Rebuild

ANY DONATIONS WILL GREATLY BE APPRECIATED! The goal is $10,000 by July 4.

By barking, Nelle the dog saved her family! Hooray for this Pit Bull !