Just before 1 a.m. March 3, a massive fire broke out at the Rodriguez home on Patterson Road, in the end destroying essentially every possession the family had, but fortunately, leaving them alive and together.

Alfonso, Lara and their four children escaped the fire in only their night clothes on a frosty cold night. With the fire still burning and multiple fire departments at work, neighbors began to show up to help.

Alfonso has been longtime military, 24 years so far, and currently serves in the National Guard as a full-time flight physician assistant for the aviation unit here at the Salisbury National Guard Armory. Lara, who also served in the US Army as a medic for nine years, is a project engineer for Miles-McClellan, a construction company based out of Concord.

The Rodriguez children are Maria (8th grade), Cruz (7th), who both attend China Grove Middle school, and Zane (5th grade) and Max (3rd) who attend Millbridge Elementary. Lara is part of the Ketchie family from Salisbury. Lara and Alfonso have lived in the Salisbury area for the past 15 years but have lived in the Patterson Road home for the past five years.

In addition to the help from neighbors and friends, the Patterson Grange has stepped up to assist the family. The organization is “a grassroots, community service, family organization…designed to help meet the needs of people young and old” according to its website, and members have organized a barbecue fundraiser on March 15.

Patterson Grange Secretary Sara Sorg said, “We are raising funds to help ease the financial burden of this tragedy. This includes covering rental costs for temporary housing and replacing clothing and other essential items lost in the fire. Please join us at our BBQ fundraiser to help support this local family. All food is being donated so every dollar raised will go directly to the family. We will start serving at 11 a.m. and will serve until we sell out.”

“The Patterson Grange does a community service project monthly, and we already do an annual BBQ,” Grange President Madalyn Hodge added. “When this family of six lost everything in a house fire less than a mile away, I knew we had to help. The women of Grace Lutheran will make all desserts, and Wayne Brother’s/PCS will cover the cost for all the food and supplies. This benefit has all come together quickly and I have never felt more blessed to be the president of Patterson Grange and to live in a great community. We hope for a huge turnout on March 15.”

The cost is $12 per plate and includes BBQ, slaw, baked beans, a bun, a dessert and a drink. Orders for 15 or more plates will be delivered free within a 10-mile radius and those orders must be placed by Friday evening, March 14. Additional monetary donations will certainly be accepted. All proceeds raised will be given directly to the Rodriguez family. For questions about this fundraiser, to place an order for delivery, or to donate, contact Sara Sorg (Patterson Grange secretary) at 704-213-8987. Patterson Grange is located 2570 Patterson Road, Salisbury.

“To all of our wonderful and amazing family, friends and total strangers, I have been trying to find the words to express all of the feelings I’ve had over these last incredibly long days,” Lara Rodriquez said. “Living in a small, close-knit community, combined with social media, meant that the news about the tragedy spread almost as fast as the fire that took our home in the early hours of March 3. But because of the rapid rate that the news traveled, it brought overwhelming support and love that has enveloped our family during this difficult time. I remember as a kid hearing Mr. Rogers say that when you are scared, ‘Look for the helpers.’ And boy, did God send us helpers! As the fire was burning on that freezing cold night, our neighbors were immediately there. After the initial shock wore off, I remember looking at my family with the hodge podge of clothes on and having to laugh. Neighbors and friends gave our family coats, sweatshirts and even socks and shoes because we didn’t have anything on our feet.”

Others stopped by offering comforting prayers and hugs. A pastor’s wife driving children home from a youth event pulled into our neighbor’s driveway to get out of the way of arriving fire trucks and she, a stranger, brought more prayers and hugs. Alfonso’s fellow soldiers came to check on the family and bring Red Cross support. The family was told the fire department worked another fire right before arriving at the Rodriquez home.

Miles-McClellan has been very supportive of the family financially during this time, and by collecting clothes and shoes for the family while giving Lara time to be with her family as needed.

“Most importantly, I’m so grateful that our family is safe and still together,” Lara said. “We will rebuild and one day life will resume with a new normal and this will all be some distant memory. But I know that when we look back, we will remember all the helpers. We are so grateful for all of you.”

Fire officials said the house itself, which was a large structure, required several sub-command units to run both water supply operations and fire crew deployment, but the garage, a shop behind the house and the vehicles at the home were unscathed by the fire. Unfortunately the family did lose one dog.

Andrew King, an assistant fire marshal in Rowan County, said the cause of the fire has been deemed accidental, but “thankfully they had working smoke alarms that alerted the family and allowed them to escape.”

“We encourage people to contact their local fire department if they need smoke alarms or have questions about them, because they clearly save lives,” added King.

Elisabeth Strillacci contributed to this story.