A Newfane family known for their generosity and helping hands is now the focus of the community’s care after losing their home to a fire on Monday.
Roger and Karon Taylor of 6124 East Ave. were helped to safety by the Miller Hose Company as a garage fire spread to their nearby house. The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office stated in a release that the structures are likely to be a total loss.
“It’s devastating,” said Darci Miller, the Taylors’ daughter. “My dad is taking it better than my mom. She gets very weepy. Who wants to start over again at 79 years old? My dad likes to make jokes and pretend it’s funny. It’s his coping mechanism. I grew up in that home. There’s so many memories in that home. I just couldn’t imagine losing everything I’ve had. Losing my childhood home and seeing it as it is right now is devastating as well.”
“I just couldn’t imagine what would have happened to her,” Miller said tearfully of her mother, who needs assistance walking. “Miller Hose — I am forever in debt to them. They have taken care of my family before. They’re thinking that it was an electrical short. They heard a pop and something must have tripped. But we don’t know that for sure.”
Miller said her parents and their dog are staying at a family member’s home in the area. They were able to move their cars out of harm’s way as the fire broke out, Miller said.
“People have been dropping money off to help,” she said. “Wherever we go, people are just there saying ‘Whatever you need …’ The community has just opened their arms and are willing to help my parents as much as possible.”
Roger Taylor worked in the Town of Newfane’s streets department. Karon Tayler was a trusted babysitter who was the go-to person when someone needed a cake for a wedding, baby shower or birthday, Miller said.
Joe Cafora, owner of Cafora’s Pizza and Pasteria in Newfane, is helping organize a benefit on April 25 at Olcott Fire Hall for the family he describes as “always giving.” He said many of the details are to be determined, but the event will include a pasta and meatball dinner and a basket raffle.
“Roger is a huge part of this community,” Cafora said. “He comes and plows our parking lot and fixes our restaurant equipment. He’s an extremely handy guy around town. He had a pop machine outside his house for kids to buy pop. All the kids who were riding their bikes would go to his house. He was always outside working on something.”
Cafora said he contacted Taylor when his brother-in-law needed a riding lawn mower.
“Roger had six mowers that he had fixed. He said, ‘Pick one out.’ He gave it to me for my brother-in-law to give as a housewarming gift. He’s just super giving and even now, it’s like twisting his arm to let people give him anything. You’d go to his house and he’d be happy to fix your stuff for free. It’s been overwhelming because everybody wants to help. It’s a beautiful thing because it’s brought the whole entire town together. They’ve got so much clothes they had me put out that they don’t need more.”
“Cafora’s is letting us eat for free,” Miller said. “Gift cards are helpful. Right now, people keep asking what do we need. We can’t get into the house yet to go through things. I’m going to say there’s probably absolutely nothing savable except what might be in the basement. The thoughts and the prayers are what’s needed. It’s been amazing watching this community come around to my family.
“I don’t live here, so I don’t see it. I used to come up here and just name-drop my dad, and people would say, ‘I know who you are.’ To see it come back tenfold is just amazing.”
Cafora’s encourages anyone who wants to volunteer at the benefit or donate items to call or message the restaurant at 716-778-8500 with their contact information.