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In the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 13 lightening struck the home of Sarah Modean and her family of three in the Buffalo Ridge housing development in Shafer. The lightining heard by area residents had struck the roof of the house causing the attic of the home to start on fire and quickly engulfed the home. She and her two children Ellen and Viktor, and 'Sugar' the dog were asleep in the house unaware of the fire. They managed to get out of the house when concerned neighbors rushed over to alert them. Firefighters from surrounding departments were able to put the blaze out but could not salvage the home. Sarah, a compassionate caretaker to her children, has dedicated many hours to homeschooling her children and works hard to support her family. The one thing Sarah was able to grab before leaving her burning house was her daughter Ellen's assistive hearing devices so her daughter was able to hear. Many pictures personal items were saved by the hardworking firefighters but ruined by water/smoke damage.

A trust fund has been set up to help Sarah and her family get back on their feet. Monetary contributions can be sent to Lake Area Bank in Lindstrom, MN under the name: Sarah F. Modean Family. The address is PO Box 743 Lindstrom, MN 55045.

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