MORRISTOWN, Minn — In a town about an hour south of the Twin Cities, a house burned down on Christmas Day.
And the couple who lived there was gone.
Not for the day, not to run errands - but on their honeymoon some seven thousand miles away in Australia.
"We actually considered dropping everything and going home to take care of stuff and we found out it would have cost more," said Spencer Velzke. "It's a waste of time because what’s gone is gone."
The couple's Morristown home, just outside of Waseca, was destroyed, along with everything in it. The local fire department responded around 5 a.m. that day.
"There was not much, unfortunately, you could do," said Morristown Fire Chief Bruce Morris. "The fire was already through the roof and into the basement."
A retired firefighter saw the smoke and called 911 and the crew responded in about eight minutes - a good response time for that time of day, according to the chief who learned almost immediately the couple was on their honeymoon.
"They fully supported us that day and we thank them for spending their Christmas morning at our house," said Jessica who's in school to get her doctorate in nursing. Her husband is also getting his master's degree in engineering.
They'll start school once they return from their trip.
They will not only need school supplies, but daily necessities such as work attire, winter clothing, bedding toiletries and transportation since both their vehicles were also damaged.
"It’s very emotional, I guess, to ask for help because we’re in Australia, so we feel really guilty asking for things like that," said Jessica.
The two are grateful for their family and friends and that their farm animals and two beloved dogs, Sheba and Clifford, are safe. Still, it makes them sad to think that the home they bought three years ago is now gone.
"We’ve just had enough time to make it homey and our own," said Spencer. "But as we learn more, we're still keeping that in mind, that it's just stuff."
The fire chief and the state fire marshal say the cause of the fire is undetermined.
If you'd like to help the Velzke's, there is a fundraiser in their name that you can donate to here.
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