TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A man and his son are mourning the loss of one of their dogs but grateful for actions that might have saved their lives.
It has been about a week since Donald Lillies and his son, Ryan's worlds changed in an instant, on Friday, August 25.
7 News' Pheben Kassahun spoke with the two and a neighbor about how their dog, Tank, who came to the rescue in their moment of need.
The father and son's Friday morning started with black smoke, filling their home.
"I opened my bedroom door and the whole upstairs is just about pitch black and you couldn't see in front of your face," Donald Lillies said.
Donald, who had just woken up, raced to make sure his son and three dogs got out safely.
All this, while the home he called his for the last 28 years, became uninhabitable, right before his eyes.
"I was going to turn around to my bedroom to kick out my bedroom window and then Tank came running and started nudging us because we got disoriented from all the smoke and he kept on nudging us to the front door," Donald said.
Their 6-year-old chocolate lab, Tank, came to the rescue.
Paramedics brought out "Hope", the 7-year-old white lab, and Lillis' 3-month-old puppy "Indy.
They resuscitated Hope, who is now fine.
Indy did not make it.
Donald's son, Ryan Lillies said, "It's a really horrific image that you can never get out of your head."
Ken Wolf lives just down the street. he says who hardly knew the family in his seven years, but wanted to be the best "Good Neighbor" he could be.
"I'm just trying to defray some of the costs because I know I've been in this situation with a house that burns. If there's anything they need right now, they need money," Ken Wolf, who lives in the neighborhood said. "He's got a lot of vet bills- pots, pans, dishes. Everything. The vet bills are just astronomical at this point. I thought I could help him out."
Meanwhile, the family shared they are thankful for the outpouring of support, but especially thankful for his beloved dog, Tank.
Pheben: Tank saving you guys. Did you know that he had that in him?
Donald: Yes.
Ryan: If you had to think about it, he put us first to save us. To get us out. A few more minutes in there and we would have been dead."
Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Company said the fire started in the kitchen.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time.
The GoFundMe created by Ken Wolf can be found here.
