Niagara Falls family calls on the community to help after losing grandfather in house fire
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) – We’re learning more about a Niagara Falls man who died in a house fire Tuesday. The fire is still being investigated. News 4 talked to family members who are heartbroken by this loss.
Valerie Keel says her 83-year-old father, Robert Crayton, died in the house fire on 8th Street in Niagara Falls Tuesday morning.
“He was a fun-loving guy. Always a part of our lives. Was always around, gave us a lot of hope and he showed us a lot,” said Gregory Palmer who’s related to the Crayton and Keel family.
Loved ones say Mr. Crayton was a family man.
“He loved his children, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren. He was just a good guy all around,” said Sheena Brown, who’s married to Mr. Crayton’s grandson.
The 83 year-old recently moved in with Valerie and her husband Jeffrey Keel, who were taking care of him.
Fire crews responded to the home around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday for a fire.
Valerie escaped the home uninjured. Jeffrey and his son Darious jumped out of a second story window to escape the flames. Darious broke his leg in the fall. Jeffrey remains at ECMC recovering from his injuries. According to officials, Crayton was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Granddad still had a long life to live ahead of him,” Brown said.
“Horrifying. Can’t even put into words. As you see they have a lot of personal support, they are a cornerstone in this area,” said family friend Joshua Anderson.
As loved ones come to term losing a valuable member of their family, they’re asking the community to help them pick up the pieces.
“They lost everything. Only thing they left here with was what they had on their back. Everything in the house is destroyed,” Palmer said.
“Everything that they’ve kept here over all these years, all their childhood memories, things from their parents that have passed on they had and they just lost everything,” Brown said.
The family set up a GoFundMe for funeral and medical expenses which can be found here.
The fire is under investigation.
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Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.
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