Paul Madsen and Jules Williams, along with their three children Tallullah (left), Lunahbelle and Malakai, have lost everything in a house fire. Photo / Supplied
Paul Madsen and Jules Williams, along with their three children Tallullah (left), Lunahbelle and Malakai, have lost everything in a house fire. Photo / Supplied
A young South Island family is faced with the prospect of having to start their lives again from scratch after their Motueka home was destroyed in a fire.
Jules Williams, 25, had recently given birth to her third child, a baby boy named Malakai, with her partner Paul Madsen. Little Malakai wasn’t breathing when he was born and was then revealed to have an enlarged kidney.
Williams herself was hospitalised with sepsis days after his birth, and ended up in intensive care for a week.
Following that, Williams, Madsen and their youngest two children were driving home from a hospital appointment for Malakai when they got a call from Williams’ father to tell them their house was on fire.
“We were on our way home from the hospital on the highway and my dad called, and he was just asking if the kids were with us and stuff like that,” Williams told the Herald.
“And then I could sense that something was wrong, so I asked him what was happening, what was wrong, and he told us our house was on fire.”
Williams and Madsen rushed to their oldest daughter Lunahbelle’s kindy, Motueka Steiner Kindergarten, to pick her up.
“Then we didn’t go back to the house for a few days — about a week,” Williams says, adding that as far as they know, the fire was accidental. “They haven’t identified any cause.”
According to Fire and Emergency, the fire was not suspicious.
The couple did not have insurance and have lost everything, from clothing and furniture to toys, to sentimental items they can never get back.
It means they will need to start over and replace everything from furniture to beds, clothing, kitchen items and toys for their children.
You can find the Givealittle page and make a donation here.
Motueka Steiner Kindergarten staff have created a Givealittle page for the young family to share their plight and call for donations towards rebuilding their lives.
The kindergarten staff have also donated clothes to the couple and their children, and organised meals to be made for them by people in the community.
Because both their extended families live in Nelson, Williams and Madsen are now in emergency housing.
Williams says she’s still feeling “really drained” after her ICU stay as she continues to recover at home. She says their daughters Lunahbelle, 3, and Tallulah, 15 months, are “coping pretty well” under the circumstances.
“I guess it’s our oldest girl that has a lot more awareness of everything that’s going on, she’s three and a half. The other two are kind of oblivious, really.”
The couple are still coming to terms with the shock of what’s happened to them, but are also “overwhelmed” by the kindness they’ve been shown by people in their community.
Paul Madsen and Jules Williams are grateful to their community, which has donated clothes and meals while they get back on their feet. Photo / Supplied
“It’s a really strange situation to be in. I’m really overwhelmed with gratitude for everybody,” Williams says.
“You just don’t really ever think of something like this happening to you personally, so it’s quite hard to wrap your head around it, and around how many people actually want to help us. It’s really amazing.
“We’re moving into another rental in a few weeks and it will mean that we can get the things that we need to get back to normal life, I guess — everything that we need for our house.”
The young mum says the donations have taken “a load off” her and her partner. “It’s taken a bit of stress out of the situation.
The couple want to pay tribute, especially to the staff at their daughter’s kindergarten, who “have been our biggest supporters”.
“And the whole community has come together to help us.”
