A family of five in Kootenai, Idaho, was left without a home, clothing, vehicles, or basic necessities after a structure fire destroyed their residence Tuesday evening, prompting a neighbor to launch an online fundraising campaign on their behalf.
Rayne Brady, George Rigby, and their three children were displaced by the blaze, which was contained to the structure where it originated. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by state authorities.
Multiple fire agencies responded to the scene, and crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the home. Despite their efforts, the family lost the structure and essentially all of its contents.
Neighbor Steps Up for Displaced Family
A neighbor identified as Rissa launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family secure housing and replace everyday essentials. By the time the campaign’s details were published, it had already raised $1,835 toward a $30,000 goal.
The fundraiser describes the scope of what the family lost as going far beyond the walls of the home. As written on the campaign page, the family lost not only their house but also their cars, clothing, hygiene products, and children’s toys — in short, everything they owned.
Rissa described arriving at the family’s location around 8:05 a.m. the morning after the fire. “When I got to the family about 8:05, I realized that Rayne didn’t have any shoes on,” Rissa wrote on the page, “so I ran home and got her some flip-flops.” The small detail captures the immediate, acute nature of the family’s situation — displaced with little more than the clothes on their backs.
The funds are intended to help with transitional housing and the gradual replacement of daily necessities as the family works to rebuild.
Community Support in North Idaho
The response reflects a pattern seen repeatedly in small North Idaho communities, where neighbors often mobilize quickly when local families face sudden hardship. Disasters like house fires can upend lives in a matter of hours, leaving families scrambling for immediate shelter and basic resources.
State officials are continuing their investigation to determine what caused Tuesday evening’s fire. No timeline has been given for when findings may be available.
Anyone wishing to support the Brady-Rigby family can search for the campaign on GoFundMe using the family’s names or the name of organizer Rissa.
What Comes Next
The family’s most immediate needs center on stable housing and replacing essential personal items. With the GoFundMe campaign still far short of its $30,000 goal, community contributions remain critical in the days and weeks ahead. State fire investigators are expected to continue examining the scene to determine the origin and cause of the blaze. No criminal suspicion has been publicly indicated at this stage. As the Kootenai community rallies around this family, the investigation into Tuesday night’s fire will proceed in the background.
For other examples of North Idaho community members stepping up to support local causes, see the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame’s upcoming induction banquet in Sandpoint, another reminder of the region’s strong civic bonds.