An 11-year-old girl in Georgia was killed trying to heroically rescue her puppy during a fire that ravaged her family’s home, her heartbroken family said.
Katelynn Simond and her pup, Little Man, both died despite her efforts during the blaze Saturday afternoon that ravaged the Sidney Drive home just outside the city of Griffin in Spalding County, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
“She was worried about her dog upstairs, and she ran upstairs,” her step-uncle Charles Beecher told the news outlet. “Katelynn, she’s like us, an animal lover. She went upstairs and got that puppy.”
He said his niece “always had that smile on her face. That’s what I’m going to miss. She was a joy of life. She was a cheerleader. She was into everything.
“I mean, it’s heartbreaking. It’s hard,” Beecher added.
The Cowan Road Middle School student lived with her mom, stepfather and brother, WSB-TV reported.
Spalding County Fire Chief Mike Byrd said his department responded to the scene about 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
“When we received the call, it was very well advanced. It was visible from over a mile away,” he told the outlet, adding that firefighters knew someone was trapped upstairs.
When they located the girl, it was too late to save her, Byrd said.
“Her step-dad and her step-uncle tried to go in after her, and to no success. They couldn’t get in,” her step-aunt Tressia Perry told WSB-TV. “The family is struggling right now. They’re going through a hard time.”
The family and neighbors have erected a memorial for Katelynn outside the home.
“It’s hard knowing I am not going to be able to see her again,” Beecher told Fox 5 Atlanta. “It’s rough. I mean, 11 years old. Her life was just taken too early.”
One firefighter was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, according to the outlet.
No foul play is suspected in the blaze but the investigation into the cause is ongoing.
A GoFundMe page was launched to help the family with funeral costs, as well as with housing and clothing.
“The outpouring of support by the community is overwhelming. It shows just how much Katelynn was a light in people lives, for those who have known her closely and those that have known her briefly,” organizer Meredith Smith wrote.
“Her visit here on earth was short, but her family will experience this for the rest of their lives,” she added.
The account raised about $7,100 as of Tuesday morning.