WEST JORDAN, Utah — Exactly one year after a fire destroyed their West Jordan home and nearly everything they owned, the Dalton-Casey family admitted this has been an incredibly difficult year.
“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s been a really, really long tunnel,” Melinda Dalton-Casey said.
On Nov. 13, 2025, the family’s home went up in flames. Everyone made it out safely, but the fire left extensive damage and destroyed many of their belongings.
Shortly after the fire, Melinda walked FOX 13 News through the rubble, pointing to the places where some of the family’s treasured possessions had once been.
“We had all of our caricatures right here,” she said at the time. “I was really happy because we get one done every year at the fair. They’re my pride and joy.”
A year later, the burned remains are gone, but the house is still empty.
For Melinda, her wife Jennifer, and their children, the challenges that followed the fire stretched far beyond losing their belongings.
“The first two months, we’re in a hotel. Then we finally find placement for six months, then they don’t want to renew the lease, and we are out of insurance money because of how long it took for them to find housing,” Melinda said. “Then my family had to spend some time at the homeless shelter. It was a very eye-opening experience.”
The family said their insurance provided only about $30,000 in coverage, while they estimate their home and belongings were worth as much as $250,000.
Their daughter Kansys said the instability made an already devastating situation even harder.
“It’s obviously been a long year. It felt longer than it actually was,” she said. “We lived in the homeless shelter for a bit, and that was extra hard on us.”
The family says the financial impact continues. They say their credit has dropped and they have fallen behind on mortgage payments.
But through it all, friends, neighbors, and members of the community have stepped in to help.
Jennifer Dalton-Casey said the family has tried to focus on that support even during the hardest moments.
“We’ve tried to stay positive throughout the year, and we’ve had a lot of blessings throughout the year,” she said. “A lot of people have come and helped and supported us.”
Even as they continue working to rebuild their own lives, the family says they hope their experience can help others realize they don't have to face difficult times alone.
“And anybody who watches this knows that they’re not alone with all of their troubles,” their daughter Jeszika said. “And if they’re also going through something difficult like this, they have people who love and support them.”
A fundraiser has been created to help the Dalton-Casey family as they continue rebuilding. Learn more or donate through the family's GoFundMe.