Windsor comedian loses home and cat in devastating fire

Local comedian, Jen Richardson’s family lost their home and cat in a recent fire. CTV Windsor’s Bob Bellacicco has more.

Windsor comedian Jen Richardson, her husband, and their daughter lost everything late last week, including the family cat, when a fire engulfed their Moy Avenue home.

The blaze broke around 10 p.m. on July 24, and the structure has been deemed unsafe for investigators to enter. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and Richardson has not yet seen the house in person.

“Seeing pictures is one thing. Seeing it in real life and smelling it and... One thing at a time,” Richardson said, pausing as the reality continued to set in.

She isn’t ready to see the remains of the fire that devastated her family’s life. Richardson was boarding a train home from Toronto when she received the call.

“I’m like, I’m sorry. Could you come back? Like, my house is burning,” she said.

Her husband was home at the time but managed to get out safely. Their eight-year-old daughter was away at camp. Sadly, the family cat died in the fire, which Windsor Fire now estimates caused up to $750,000 in damage.

“He was such a good boy,” Richardson said of their cat. “He was so fluffy and soft. He woke me up in the morning with cuddles.”

The emotional weight of the fire visibly affected Richardson during the interview.

“Lost everything. Things...” she said with a deep sigh, overcome by thoughts of what had happened and what still lies ahead.

The comedy community has quickly stepped in to support the family. A GoFundMe page has been launched, and a comedy fundraiser is being organized for Aug. 7 at the Tipsy Toucan on Ottawa Street.

Although the family does have insurance, the outpouring of community support has been overwhelming.

“The generosity, the kindness, the words I’ve heard from people I haven’t heard from in decades, like, people I don’t know. So beautiful,” she said.

Debbie Mitchell, who had never met the family, was moved to help.

“It just must be so awful that I just felt that I wanted to drop off some clothing and a little bit of food, but my heart goes out to them,” Mitchell said as she dropped off a bag with Richardson’s neighbor.

The road to rebuilding won’t be short. Local realtor Joe Fallea, who has helped three displaced families this year, said recovery timelines can vary widely.

“I’ve seen three months, and I’ve seen a year and a half,” Fallea said.

He advises anyone in a similar situation to contact a realtor, establish a clear timeline with their insurance provider, and use social media if they want to stay in the neighborhood.

“There might be a house that’s sitting vacant, fully furnished that is an estate, a senior that may be in a senior home and we don’t know about it because it’s not necessarily on the market,” he said.

Despite the tragedy, Richardson couldn’t help but reflect on the readings from four psychics in the last year.

“Just wish they would have told me that my house was going to burn down for it, maybe. I’ve had more press over this than anything I’ve done comedically,” she said, before ending on a serious note with a somber expression.

“I wish my house was back.”