PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie woman and her daughter are thankful to be alive after losing their home and three pets in a fire.
The fire happened early Friday morning at a home on Southwest Goodrich Street in Port St. Lucie.
Julie Miller’s three cats died and one is still missing.
Port St. Lucie police said the fire started from an overloaded electrical socket in the back patio. Miller and her daughter rushed out of the house with their dog.
“I see my life gone,” said Miller.
She said she woke up suddenly around 12:20 a.m. and saw her home in flames.
“It gave me enough time,” said Miller. “It gave me a minute and a half to save my daughter.”
Miller grabbed her daughter and rushed out of the home. Her dog, Mac Miller, almost forgotten.
“I slung open this door, and I’m just screaming for him, and he ended up running out of the house, he got burned on his skin and his face and his paws,” said Miller.
Unfortunately, three of her cats: Peanut, Doobie and Four died. Her other cat Nala, is still missing.
“They were amazing,” said Miller. “I've been a cat person my whole life. They never did anything wrong. They were just really great and I’m just hoping that we find Nala.”
Now, Miller is trying to pick up the pieces of what she has left of her home.
“I see the vision for my future, for my daughter, gone,” she said.
But she said neighbors are lending a helping hand.
“People, I haven't seen in three years have been driving by dropping off drinks and helping us salvage whatever we have left, and helping us,” said Miller. “There's been an unbelievable amount of support, and for that, I’m so grateful.”
Grateful too, she said, for being here today.
“I don't know why this happened,” said Miller. “But I know God saved me and my daughter, and that's what I’m grateful for.”
There is now a GoFundMe Page to help the Miller family.
You can find that here.
