SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. — A San Tan Valley family, who was selected to be one of the food vendors for the upcoming Super Bowl LVII, is forced to start all over again after a fire completely destroyed their new home.
“We were so happy, we’re going down to do Super Bowl stuff and at the end of the night we’re sitting there, scratching our heads, and holding each other’s hands crying because we lost everything,” Jimmy Cole said.
Cole and his family run Kingpin BBQ, a food truck business that he says is among those selected by the NFL Business Connect to help cater the big game in Glendale next year.
But last Thursday around 3 p.m., as Cole and his wife were wrapping up a Super Bowl meeting in the Valley, their home caught on fire.
They had just moved in six months before.
“That morning before we left, it was so nice and peaceful here, and we come home to this,” Cole said. “I can’t describe it. Everything is destroyed.”
All their living room, kitchen, and dining room furniture, decorations, and memories were burned. The fridge, microwave, and even washer and dryer melted. Smoke turned their white and light gray walls black. The carpet floor was filled with debris, holes, and water, from when firefighters put out the flames.
Cole’s 22-year-old son and 7-year-old dog were home when the fire broke out.
“He wakes up and smells food and thought we were here cooking lunch,” Cole said. “When he got up to use the restroom, he opened the door and he saw flames and smoke everywhere.”
The son make it out safely, but Kimbo, their Cane Corso was locked inside their master bedroom. Firefighters from Rural Metro Fire San Tan Valley resuscitated Kimbo by using Fido bags that were donated by The Fetch Foundation.
The dog breathed in a lot of smoke and was taken to an emergency veterinarian. The foundation, fire department, and non-profit Dogs Day Out AZ helped cover the medical bills.
“Everyone has helped, without the community I don’t think we’d be this far,” Cole said.
Despite being new to his new neighborhood, neighbors have rallied behind the family.
One neighbor gave them a trailer camper they are sleeping in, another let them run power and others offered food and clothes.
All acts of kindness from strangers, Cole said will not go unnoticed.
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When he was 17 years old, Cole said he lost an aunt due to a house fire in his hometown in Cincinnati. Knowing that his son and pet made it out safe, that’s all that matters to him.
“I know that God is watching over us, with him, we’ll move forward,” Cole said.
The family has created a GoFundMe to help get them back on their feet and to replace the work equipment needed for their big Super Bowl participation.
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