The Gray family of Northbridge who lost all they own in a fire on Border Street Jan. 27

Photo Credit: Contributed photo

Adam and Kelly (Brennan) Gray of Northbrdge, who lost all they own in a fire on Border Street Jan. 27.

Photo Credit: Contributed photo

The aftermath of a fire on Border Street in Northbridge that destroyed all the belongings of the Gray family.

Photo Credit: Contributed photo

NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – Kelly and Andy Gray look at the “ifs” that come to mind when they think about the Border Street fire that destroyed all they owned on Friday, Jan. 27, and they’re grateful.

If Kelly hadn’t sought out 8-year-old daughter Sarah when she became very quiet; if the fire had broken out during the night when they and their five children were sleeping; if it had been cold, snowing and slippery.

Any one of those “ifs’’ would have resulted in a “very different story,’’ Kelly said.

"If it had happened at night, we wouldn’t have gotten out,’’ Andy said.

The fire broke out in the basement; the basement stairs are directly in line with the stairs to the second-floor bedrooms. The duplex home is an older structure. “The fire spread very quickly,” he noted.

Kelly found her daughter in the basement playroom. “I didn’t even realize the wall in back of me was in flames,’’ she said.  Her daughter Sarah, who is autistic and has no safety awareness, was just looking at the fire.

“I don’t even know how we got everyone out,’’ she said.

The only one not home when the fire broke out at about 4 p.m. was their oldest son Joshua, a junior at Northbridge High School. “I’ll never forget the look on his face,’’ said Kelly, when he saw smoke coming from his own house. “I was yelling to him, ‘Josh, everything is OK; everyone is OK,’ but he couldn’t hear me.

It’s a vision she said she’ll never forget.

All that matters, Andy said, is that no one, not their family and none of the police and firefighters who responded, were hurt.

They are also grateful for friends, neighbors and even strangers who are doing all they can to help them rebuild their lives.

“We can’t say thank you enough,’’ Andy said. “We’re going to have to send out 1,000 thank you cards,’’ Kelly said.

Just about everything they own was destroyed by flame, smoke or water.  What is keeping them going is remembering what’s important, and that is their family, their friends and a community that has helping them through donations of clothing, household items, gift cards and money.

“The Red Cross is amazing,’’ Andy said. “I don’t think they get enough credit.’’ Not only did Red Cross pay for four nights of lodging at the Econo Lodge they also provided debit cards so the Gray’s could buy groceries.

Kitchen facilities at the motel are very limited, however, and after the four nights paid by Red Cross, the Grays are paying the nightly fee. “It’s very expensive,’’ Andy said, “but when you have five kids, it’s difficult to find an apartment.

They did receive the news they'd hoped for late yesterday. They have been offered a four-bedroom apartment and they'll be moving in on Friday.

In addition to 17-year-old Josh and 8-year-old Sarah, the Gray’s have three other children, Sarah’s twin, Alexandra, who is also autistic; Elijah,  a 12-year-old Middle School student; and Cassie, a 10-year-old Balmer School student.

Kelly is a stay-at-home mom, one of the most difficult jobs, Andy said. He repairs computers and is a full-tme study student, studying computer science and criminal justice.

They wanted to stay in Whitinsville, the town they’ve called home for six years.  “We really love it here,’’ Kelly said. They’d like Joshua to graduate from the high school he’s familiar with; they want to stay in a town they and their children feel connected to.

Kelly describes herself, at this point, as “on edge.’’ Everything is gone, things one seldom thinks about, like sippy cups, become important. Even their car key had to be replaced because an electronic chip inside the key melted.

“We need stability for the kids,’’ Andy said. They also need beds, mattresses, bedding, towels, and everything kitchen, from stove and refrigerator to pots, pans and paring knives.

“The response from the town has been wonderful. Our neighborhood has a bad reputation, but most of the people here are wonderful,’’ Kelly said.

She said the same about police and firefighters. They went out of their way to help them, buying pizza and McDonald’s for the children, searching in the rubble for Kelly’s I-phone (found undamaged despite smoke and water abuse) and for Sarah’s favorite toys - Woody, Buzz and Jessie. “She’s obsessed with Toy Story,’’ Kelly said.

 “It’s was really cute story. We were listening on the scanner while they searched,” Kelly said. “We found Buzz, we’re onto Woody,’’ she heard one firefighter say. “It’s not what you would expect’’ from a Fire Department, she said.

The Gray’s have a long list of people and organizations they’d like to thank, including Unibank (where donations to the Gray Family fund can be made), Whitin Commuity Center (donations of household items are being collected at the Rockdale Youth Center this week), the school department (collecting donations of gift cards at each school), FCP, DDS, the Autism Resource Center, their church Life Hope, Andy’s sister who created a Facebook fundraiser where donations may be made at https://apps.facebook.com/fundrazr/activity/1367137d4dfd4df491818b590b59f0da, Dee Lavallee, Shelley Rivelli, Jan Roach and many, many more.

“We want to thank everyone for everything, down to the very last toothpick,’’ Kelly said.