Losing Weymouth home to fire is devastating. Losing Luna, their beloved husky, is hardest

WEYMOUTH − When Weymouth firefighters first arrived at the Lee home on Forest Street about noon Sunday, neighbors thought a saving grace might be at least no one was home. Family members were all at work or out visiting.

But it turned out one family member with four legs was still home.

When firefighters heard howling and realized a dog was trapped somewhere in the smoke-filled interior, they were unable to enter because of the heat and smoke. Firefighter James Shea, of Station 3 on Winter Street, and his partner made their way inside and found Luna, the Lee family's 8-year old Siberian husky.

The dog was in critical condition but alive and first responders rushed her to the nearby veterinary hospital, VCA South Shore (Weymouth) Animal Hospital, on Columbian Street.

"It was an emergency, and she was placed on a ventilator and given oxygen," family member Sam Rouabhia said.

"The staff kept her alive until all the family members could arrive and be by her side. She went into cardiac arrest three times. Once everyone was gathered there, she passed away.

"At least we got there and we were with her."

Rouabhia is married to Victoria Lee, the daughter of the couple who own the house. Her brother Anthony Lee, a recent graduate of Mass Maritime Academy, also lives in the home.

Holding Luna's precious paw

That memory has brought some comfort to the family in the hectic, anguished days since the unimaginable happened.

"Luna was so beloved to all of us," said Rouabhia, who is in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

The Lee family, on social media and in person, has been thanking friends, neighbors and strangers for the outpouring of love and support they have received.

"We are overwhelmed with the generosity and kindness of all of you and can’t begin to thank everyone enough," Rouabhia said. "The community has been so unbelievably kind."

Vietnamese refugees found a new life in Weymouth

The Lees are connected to a diverse Asian community on the South Shore, which understood immediately that their immense loss in the fire triggered memories of an earlier time in their lives.

"Liz (the matriarch) was one of the thousands of South Vietnamese refugees that fled communism during the Vietnam War, eventually settling here in the Boston area with her family," Rouabhia said.

"The trauma of losing their home in the fire is compounded by the fact that Liz also lost her childhood home in the war. This shared experience of being a war refugee created strong bonds with families across the Vietnamese community."

The outpouring of compassion comes from the family's many connections.

"Liz also touched the hearts of hundreds of high school students at Boston College High by preparing delicious school lunches for the kids," Rouabhia explained. "She also volunteered at the cafeteria at Quincy Catholic Academy and Sacred Heart School in North Quincy.

The Lees owned Saigon Panda in North Quincy

"The family also owned and operated a Chinese-Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Panda, in North Quincy.  Over many years of hard work, Liz filled the bellies of thousands," Rouabhia said.

"Whenever you see Liz, the first words out of her mouth are always 'Did you eat yet?'  Liz is a selfless and caring mother and friend who spent decades aiding her friends in times of need. The friends she made in school communities, the local restaurant scene and the Forest Park neighborhood in Weymouth are now here to stand beside her."

Rouabhia described Anthony Lee, his brother-in-law, as "a fun-loving man who is just starting his career as a maritime engineer. As a graduate of BC High and Sacred Heart School, he has many lifelong friends whose families have opened up their homes for him while the Lee family searches for temporary shelter."

GoFundMe Page started

On Sunday evening, just hours after the fire, a very close family friend, Holly Gray, started a GoFundMe Page to help the family begin rebuilding their lives.

Gray wrote: "On the morning of September 17, the Lee family lost everything in a horrible house fire, including their beautiful 8 year old husky, Luna. Thankfully, everyone else in the family is safe, but losing their beloved fur baby who was family to them is devastating.

"Twenty-three-year residents of Weymouth, they went from having everything one day, to literally just the clothes on their back the next. The house is deemed a complete loss and will need to be rebuilt.

"Let’s rally behind the Lees and help them get through the next several long weeks and months ahead. Please consider donating, even if it’s a dollar, and share this for more eyes to see and let’s come together and help this awesome family! No one should ever have to go through this alone!"

"The Lees are a kind, selfless, humble family that never ask for help from others. I'm hoping we as a community can help lift this heavy financial load on them as much as we can, even if it’s just a little."

As of Saturday morning, more than $27,000 of a $30,000 goal had been raised.

No one should go through this alone

Nearly every weekend in the summer, the Lees' extended family would gather at their Forest Street home for a massive cookout where all were welcome. The spread was always as diverse as their guests. Burgers and hotdogs being served alongside Vietnamese snacks like Bánh mì (made with chicken and full of pickled vegetables sandwiches and thịt kho (caramelized) pork.

"Every day a holiday, every meal a feast" is a phrase that Rouabhia said might well be "an axiom at one of these gatherings, along with 'It's not a meal without a stray Luna fur getting stuck to your food!'"

In responses on the GoFundMe page, Rouabhia wrote:

"While the property loss is devastating, losing Luna to the fire has been heartbreaking to us all.

A piece of heavenly pizza crust for Luna

"Because of the selfless actions of the men and women who responded (as well as a great neighbor), and the amazing emergency staff at the Weymouth VCA, we were able to at least say goodbye and hold Luna's paw as she crossed the rainbow bridge (where she will be waiting patiently for a piece of pizza crust)."

Rouabhia described how the Lees' neighbors Brandon and Phillip Coleman "valiantly and selflessly attempted to enter the house before firefighters arrived to reach Luna but as soon as he opened the door, he was overcome with thick smoke and could not continue. As soon the firefighters got there, he informed them about the husky."

Rouabhia, who lives in Quincy, said Wednesday evening that he has seen over the years how generous and kind the Lees are and how many people they have helped. He is not surprised how "everybody is coming together to help them."

He mentioned Stephanie Gabriel, a staff member at the Weymouth VCA, who "was so compassionate when we were suffering the most when Luna passed. I want to send a heartfelt thank you to the staff there." Victoria Lee thanked "Dr. Lopes and her emergency staff for their professional and compassionate care."

The Lee family also wants to thank all the departments that provided mutual aid: Braintree, Hingham and Quincy; as well as the Weymouth Police Department, South Shore Health EMS, Weymouth Emergency Management and the American Red Cross.

The family has been constantly busy trying to find shelter and start the house deconstruction and plans for reconstruction.

"The grief comes in waves, but we get together every night and share dinner and break bread," he said.

Weymouth Deputy Fire Chief Steven Murray said the cause of the fire was determined to be a dehumidifier in the basement that was the only heat source. He said the manufacturer couldn’t be identified because it burned so badly. The fire department report said chlorine stored in the basement for a pool caused the fire to burn very hot and the chlorine damaged firefighters' equipment, Murray said.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Weymouth family loses home, dog in fire