Community rallies for young family

The Newport-Mesa community has rallied to the aid of a young family that lost everything when their trailer burned to the ground last weekend.

Community members contacted the Daily Pilot by phone and e-mail, asking what they could do to help Ashly Spector and John Hart, or where they could send donations.

The couple and their 1-year-old son, Brandon, escaped the blaze that tore through their West Newport trailer early morning June 11.

“I don’t take anything for granted, so it could easily happen to any of us,” said Newport Beach resident Jennifer Blanchfield, who is putting together a donation package for the family.

Hart said the family is grateful to everyone who’s reached out to them.

“I want to thank them all, it feels really good,” Hart said.

On Friday the couple picked up bags of donations ? baby clothes, stuffed animals, cash and tickets to the Orange County Fair ? at the Daily Pilot’s office on East 17th Street in Costa Mesa.

“It really helped, we were really stoked,” Hart said.

Blanchfield said that raising children is a difficult job and she couldn’t imagine experiencing a setback such as a devastating fire.

“It’s hard enough with just the normal day-to-day struggles in life,” said Blanchfield, who has three children.

Sarah Scroggs, of Costa Mesa, also read the story and called the Pilot. “It’s just a tragic situation and I’d certainly want somebody to help me if I were in that situation,” Scroggs said. “It just kind of touches your heart.”

Spector and Hart had just finished decorating their trailer after moving into the Beach and Bay mobile home park three months ago. Fire officials said an overloaded electrical outlet was the cause of the fire.

The family was awakened about 5 a.m. by a neighbor pounding on the door of their rented, single-wide trailer. Within seconds, they safely got out of the trailer with their son and watched as the structure was destroyed by the blaze.

The American Red Cross paid for the family to stay several nights in a hotel and they’re now looking for an apartment.

“That’s what we’re mostly worried about right now,” Hart said.

The Red Cross also has provided the couple with money for a security deposit toward an apartment.

As Hart and Spector slowly get back on track, the emotional effects of losing everything linger.

Hart said they are both struggling with the loss of their cat Charlie, which died in the fire.dpt.19-firevictimPhotoInfo6F1S45FM20060619j0vk69nc KENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)John Hart and Ashly Spector, with their son, Brandon, 1, lost everything when fire engulfed their mobile home last Sunday.