A Santa Rosa woman, Daralyn Schmitt, is facing the heartbreaking loss of her home for the second time due to a fire. This time, the devastating incident occurred in Guerneville and also resulted in the death of her beloved dog, Molly.
“This was the second time that I lost everything. It’s all gone so I got to start over all over again,” said Schmitt. “It was very scary but the only thing I had in my mind was finding Molly and I was unable to and I feel crazy bad about that.”
Schmitt arrived home to find her apartment engulfed in flames, with Molly trapped inside. Though she managed to get Molly out, the dog later succumbed to her injuries from the fire.
In 2017, Schmitt lost her home in the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa to wildfires. Despite the repeated devastations, Schmitt is determined to move on.
Her friend, Kathleen McKenna, is rallying the community to help Schmitt rebuild her life by raising money. The cause of the Guerneville home fire is still under investigation.
Schmitt advised others to keep their important belongings in a fireproof safety deposit box. She is taking things day by day and is grateful for the support of her friends and family. A fundraiser is being organized in Guerneville to help with the loss.