Nevada Community Rebuilds Widow's Home for Free After Fire

When Lori Wisniewski jumped off her deck to escape flames from her wood-burning stove, she lost more than her home. Her beloved pets didn't make it out, and without proper insurance or her husband who had died from cancer, rebuilding seemed impossible.

Then Matthew Sutherlin saw her story and knew he had to help. The owner of Green Bee Construction in Nevada City decided to rebuild her home at potentially no cost to Wisniewski.

But Sutherlin didn't stop with his own company. He rallied local tradespeople and businesses to donate time, labor, and materials, turning one man's compassion into a community mission.

"Everybody has been shaving things off and donating things and getting reduced costs all the way across the board," Sutherlin explained. What started as a construction project became a testament to what neighbors can accomplish together.

For Wisniewski, the generosity feels overwhelming. The former post-surgical nurse keeps asking herself why she deserves this kindness, even as she watches talented craftspeople transform her loss into something new.

She's even adding an accessible room to the design. Friends or anyone who helped with the rebuild can use it to recover after surgery, a small way to pay forward the care she's received.

Sunny's Take

Weather and hazardous materials from the fire have slowed progress, but the team pushes forward together. Wisniewski jokes that talking is her only talent compared to the skilled workers surrounding her, but her gratitude speaks volumes. "I can't believe it, and I can't believe the talented people," she said while touring the construction site.

The builders expect to finish the home by late spring or early summer, giving Wisniewski a fresh start built on the foundation of community love.

Sometimes tragedy reveals the best in people, and Nevada City is proving that a home isn't just walls and a roof but the hearts that help build it.