In the wake of a Christmas Eve tragedy that left a Bel Air family without their home and beloved pets, the Harford County community is uniting in support at Fallston Barrel House, where a fundraiser was held to alleviate the Axelsson family's losses. According to WBAL-TV, Elle Grose, the owner of the hosting restaurant, expressed her hopes that the event would offer "some kind of smile" during this difficult time, especially with the family's dogs still missing after the incident.
Emilee Axelsson was attending church when the family's home was engulfed by the flames caused by an electrical failure at their Christmas tree and despite the material loss, their main concern remains the whereabouts of their two missing dogs, named Teddy and Mac, as Elle Grose's sentiment echoes—in her words "we're all rooting for the dogs to come home", neighbors also banded together, setting up shelters and responding to possible sightings in an effort to reunite the family with their lost companions, the fundraiser extending through Friday night with a portion of the restaurant's sales going directly to the family's aid, according to WBAL-TV.
Joshua Ruszczewski, the manager of Fallston Barrel House, attested to the community's swift and overwhelming response, relating to WBAL-TV how diners eagerly inquired whether their patronage would contribute to the family's cause. Ruszczewski remarked on the necessity of communal effort in times of need: "You really want everyone else to step in and help out if it were you."
Beyond the scale of replaceable possessions, no confirmed sightings yet, the family hopes for a positive resolution, with contact numbers 443-695-3234 or 443-528-9177 provided for anyone with information on Teddy and Mack, as detailed by WMAR2-News. The community's efforts to support the Axelsson family continue, and information on how to contribute to the family through meal trains or the GoFundMe page can be found on the channels reporting their story.
