Community helps King William family whose home burned

MANGOHICK -- A fire that gutted a family's home and killed their dog in King William County has prompted an outpouring of community support, providing some relief to a family that lost almost everything they owned.

Bruce and Crystal Manies and their two daughters received so many donations of clothes and toys that they are trying to figure out how to give some of the items to someone else who might need them.

But the family is still in a bind after the blaze on New Year's Eve at the house they rented on Calno Road in the Mangohick area. Bruce and Crystal Manies are unemployed and didn't have much money even before the fire, they said.

Officials believe a wood stove might have started the fire about 6:45 p.m. while Bruce and Crystal Manies were driving to a family friend's house to celebrate the new year.

After they got a call from a relative, Crystal Manies said she turned their pickup truck around and started speeding toward home, unable to stop worrying about Rex, the family dog. Bruce Manies later buried Rex, a black Labrador retriever, in the front yard of the house, erecting a wooden cross to mark the grave.

The couple and their two daughters, Briley, 3, and Cecilia, 5, are staying with relatives.

The Mangohick Volunteer Fire Department gave the Manies family a turkey, a pork shoulder, several rolls of sausage and some canned food, said Fire Chief Bill Moore. The chief and his wife also bought clothes for the family and some toys for Briley and Cecilia. Many other people also provided donations.

"I'm glad we got it all," Bruce Manies said. "Whatever we don't keep, we'll give to other relatives of ours or anyone else who needs it."

Crystal Manies said she left her job as a waitress a few weeks ago after a disagreement with her employer, and her husband's job on a Christmas-tree farm ended shortly after that. He is looking for another job now and says the exhaust pipe on the family's truck, their only vehicle, broke Saturday night while he was moving some of donated items.

A fund has been set up to help the family. Monetary donations may be sent to the Bank of Essex, Manies Family Fund, P.O. Box 1689, Glen Allen, VA 23060.

-- Reed Williams