A family from the Corman Park area near Saskatoon is counting their blessings after a devastating fire completely destroyed their home, with a suspected faulty gas fireplace cited as the likely cause. Lane and Rebecca Genik and their five children were not home when the blaze erupted, a fact fire crews told them made them "very lucky."
A Gut-Wrenching Discovery After Church
The family's ordinary Sunday took a horrific turn on December 14. While driving home from church, they received a frantic phone call from a neighbour. "Your house is on fire," the neighbour said, delivering the shocking news. Rebecca Genik recalled the moment with clarity, describing the neighbour's call as an act of profound kindness that began a wave of community support.
By the time the Geniks arrived at their property around noon, Saskatoon fire crews were already on the scene, having been dispatched at 11:46 a.m. Lane had called 911 from the road, only to be informed that responders were already battling the flames at their land location.
Catastrophe Narrowly Avoided
Firefighters investigating the incident pointed to a faulty gas fireplace as the probable source of the fire. They emphasized to the family how much worse the outcome could have been. If the fire had started in the middle of the night while the family of seven was asleep, the result could have been catastrophic. This stark reality has become the cornerstone of the family's perspective.
"More than anything, we feel very fortunate, very grateful for what we do have, and we’re very lucky that we were not at home," said Rebecca, who has a background in commercial architecture. Searching through the ashes, the family salvaged little more than a small pile of coins from a child's piggy bank, a poignant symbol of all they had lost.
An Outpouring of Community Goodwill
In the face of total loss, the Genik family has been overwhelmed by the rapid and generous response from both friends and strangers. Support materialized almost immediately. A group of local moms coordinated a trip to Walmart to purchase essential items for the family. This was quickly followed by trips to Costco for food and basics, and to SportChek to outfit the five children—Jett (10), Adrie (8), Roman (6), Kai (3), and Ria (2)—with winter clothing, skates, and helmets in time for scheduled skating practice.
Friends from New Zealand established a GoFundMe campaign to provide financial assistance. The family is currently staying with Rebecca's parents. Lane marked his 35th birthday, which fell the day after the fire, not with celebration but alongside a fire inspector sifting through the ruins.
"It’s amazing. I hope everybody can feel this kindness one day," Rebecca said, visibly moved by the support. She has reframed the traumatic event as a "surprise chapter" in their family's story, one she hopes will teach her children about human generosity and empathy. "It doesn’t make sense that we’re on the receiving end," she admitted, humbled by the aid.
Despite the hardship, the family is maintaining a resilient and even humorous spirit. Rebecca shared that their new family motto, born from the ashes, is: "When life gives you a house fire, make s'mores." Lane, too, finds strength in his children's positive and "unbelievable" response to the crisis, which helps him focus on the good amidst the loss.
