Young mother can’t afford to fix trailer after backyard fire

A recent fire in the Sportsman Trailer Park in Bonnyville has one young mother left in a tough financial position.

Around 9:30 a.m., on July 13, Pamela Couchie’s home was damaged by a tent fire from a neigbours backyard. All of the siding was melted off her house from the extreme heat. Couchie didn’t have insurance due to the wiring in her home and the age of her trailer.

“I wasn’t able to get insurance, “Couchie told Lakeland Connect. “I’m in the middle of trying to fix my trailer up, then my neighbour went and almost burnt it down. I’m still in shock that it happened, but I’m thankful it wasn’t any worse than what it was.”

Couchie was born in Northbay Ontario, but moved out here to Alberta a few years ago and has lived between Bonnyville and Elk Point. Life sometimes throws curveballs, child loss is a loss like no other, nothing can be more devastating. Time will not necessarily provide relief from this aspect of grief she has experienced after she had a stillborn baby.

Coping with her son’s death at birth in 2019 has required some of the hardest work Couchie has ever encountered. Feelings of shock, denial, confusion, anger, and loss of hope all bottled up inside which she thought she would never share with anyone.

“It was hard,” Couchie said.

The 24-year-old is no stranger to hard work and is now a new mom to a beautiful rainbow baby.

“I got a beautiful little girl out of something so terrible,” Couchie said. “I like to believe that my stillborn son hand picked my daughter for me.”

Her struggle is still very real as she has been having financial difficulties. Couchie is a loving mother and provides the best life she can for her new daughter.

“I was working over at the Co-Op till the end of January, then I started maternity leave because my baby was born February 5,” Couchie said. “I kind of started falling behind on bills being on maternity leave.”

The overwhelmed joy of being able to try again for a new child instilled hope for the devastation she has suffered. Things were starting to come together for the new mother, who lives in the Sportsman Trailer Park with her mom. Her daughter’s dad lives at another residence as the young family begins their journey on the road of life.

Tuesday’s fire was devastating for Couchie leaving the feeling of the loss of hope in her heart once again as she can’t afford to fix her badly damaged home. Couchie says she will preserve because that’s what strong women do.

Lakeland Connect would like to bring the community together to show this young mother that miracles can happen, just like the blessing of her new daughter after experiencing devastating child loss.

If you would like to help Couchie please EMT: lmao.pam@gmail.com

Let’s give this young family a fresh start.