Ocean City Family in Devastating Fire Thank Community for Help

An Ocean City family who lost everything but each other in a life-changing fire took time to write a letter thanking the people who have been helping them and remembering them in the days since the fire.

The letter appeared on a GoFundMe page dedicated to assisting them.

Early Tuesday morning, Oct 18, the Bogdan family home on Ferndale Drive in Ocean City caught fire quickly while Dan Brogdan and his three young children were waking up for the day.

Dan's wife Megan had already left for work when Dan realized the house was on fire and hurried to grab the children -- Ava, 8, Jack, 5, and Luke, 9 months -- and run from the home.

Firefighters were able to rescue the family dog from the house.

On the day of the fire, Fire Chief Jim Smith said Dan Bogdan’s bravery and quick thinking saved his family. “The father was incredible, keeping calm and removing the three kids quickly.”

Now less than two weeks later, the family is thanking their blessings for surviving that awful fire and for the support of friends and neighbors in their community.

I will never be able to thank each of you individually, (although you better believe I’m going to try!) but please know that with every call, text, email, clothes/toiletries/toys donations, offer for places to stay and financial help, you have taken away the burden and helped put the pieces back together.
The fire was a tragedy that I wish we never had to go through, but the love and support that we have received since then has been an amazing thing to experience.

The GoFundMe page set up to help the Bogdans had raised over $53,000 as of Sunday night, much more than the original goal of $10,000.

Though they have a tough road to recovery after losing everything in the fire, the family says they are amazed at the love and support they have received.