Basketball squad helps teammate after Christmas fire

Eric Halperin
·2 min read

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio basketball team is trying to help a local family after they lost everything in a Christmas morning house fire.

It has been a difficult few weeks for Jerome Lenor and his family. What was supposed to be a nice morning turned tragic.

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“Christmas morning, everything gone,” Lenor said. “No gifts, no nothing. All gone.”

There was a fire at Lenor’s house. He said anything they tried to salvage was covered in soot or smelled like smoke. Lenor, his four kids, and his girlfriend all got out OK, but all of their belongings are no longer usable. Lenor has been staying at a hotel with his children.

“It’s crampy, it’s hard, it’s an adjustment,” he said. “They still want to live their regular lives, but we have to make certain adjustments to accommodate everything we’re going through.”

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One of his children plays on the Linden McKinley boys basketball team. The team has been spreading the word about fundraising efforts.

Kevin Darthard, the head coach, said players have been bringing in clothes and other necessities for their teammate and his siblings.

“One of the foundations to the program, we say family, and family means you’re there for them through the good and the bad,” Darthard said. “Now it’s time for us to try to help in any way we can. Immediately, players were like this, I got some shoes, I got this, I got that, to try to help out.”

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Lenor said he is grateful for the support. At this point, he’s trying to figure out how to get into another house.

“We’re just doing the best with what we’ve got right now,” Lenor said. “A few people donated some things to the kids. My whole concern was the kids. I’ll be alright, I’ll make it. It would mean the world to me just to have a place to rent again or a home, just a home, period.”

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