House fire destroys generations of memories

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A fire last week destroyed a Yuma home filled with decades of family history.

Charles Cook, the homeowner, says the house, located in the area of Seventh Avenue and 24th Street, has been in his family since 1956.

He took over in 2008 and spent years repairing and improving it, but the home was not insured when the fire struck.

"This was not just my life, but it was my parents and my siblings. We all grew up here. And so, it's not just the financial right now, which is a lot, but it's family history that went up in smoke," Cook said.

The home will have to be torn down, but Cook says not having the funds makes it even harder to face.

"I've been out here every day trying to get something done. But it's just a roller coaster. Sometimes I don't even want to get out of bed to come over here and deal with it," he added.

Family members are working to salvage whatever they can from the debris.

Rachelle Cook, whose husband is Charles' nephew, helped set up a GoFundMe to support Charles and the families affected by the fire. She says the effort is about helping Charles save the property if possible.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and people who want to donate can find the link here.