An Illinois Family Lost Everything in a House Fire. A Day Later, Their Dad Died from Cancer
John Russo, 49, died from cancer a day later — leaving behind his two children and wife, Carli Russo
'It was so fast-growing, there was nothing they could do,' Carli said of the diseaseAn Illinois family has been left grief-stricken after two tragedies shook their household within just 24 hours.
On Tuesday, July 8, the Russo family was forced to evacuate their Poplar Grove home after a fire was discovered at around midnight. Hours later on Wednesday morning, the patriarch of the family, John Russo, died from cancer at age 49, news outlets WIFR and WWNY reported.
John — who shared two children, 14-year-old Payton and 10-year-old J.J., with his wife, Carli Russo — had escaped the family's burning home in his wheelchair the day before his death. Having lost everything, the Russo family took shelter at a Rockford hotel.
John had been in home hospice care for the past three months before the incident, per the outlets.
'[I] slammed the door shut, came running in the house screaming for the kids to get out and got my husband in the wheelchair and was able to get him out and across the street with some help from some neighbors,' Carli recalled of the fire to WIFR.
The blaze began in the garage and then engulfed the entire front section of the house, the family told the outlet. Firefighters allegedly said it could be difficult to determine the cause of the fire due to the extensive damage.
'Right now they're telling us it's a complete loss,' Carli said, per WIFR.
The house fire came after months of distress for the Russo family. On April 30, John had gone to the emergency room suffering from stomach pains. The visit became the start of multiple hospital appointments before he was eventually diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, according to the outlet.
'It was so fast-growing, there was nothing they could do,' Carli told WIFR.
A GoFundMe page was set up by a co-worker amid his treatment for cancer to help the family, as John was the sole provider.
'Outside of work, John's world revolves around his wife and children,' they wrote in the description of the fundraiser. 'Whether he was at a softball game for his daughter, fixing his project car, or lending a hand to a neighbor, John has always been the one people could count on.'
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Following his death on July 9, Carli recalled that her husband 'would do anything for anybody,' per WWNY.
Her sister-in-law set up a second GoFundMe to help support the family. As of Friday, July 11, the fundraiser has raised over $24,000.
'Carli got her kids (14 and 10) out, along with John and their family dog, safely, minutes before the entire house was engulfed in flames,' the fundraiser description said. 'They lost everything at a time they should be spending with their family.
'We're reaching out to our community, friends, and compassionate strangers for support,' the description continued. 'Every dollar raised will go directly toward helping the Russo family secure temporary housing, replace essential items, and begin the long process of recovery.'
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