North Ogden Community Comes Together For Family After House Fire

NORTH OGDEN, Utah – There’s a lot you can learn when there’s not much left. Robyn Buatte is finding out losing a home isn’t the worst thing that can happen.

“We’re in for a ride. A ride we’re not sure we asked for but we’ll take it anyway,” she said while looking at her home.

A fire Friday burned through her North Ogden home causing enough damage to where she says it’s a total loss.

“At the end of the day, I’m just glad my kids are okay and all of that,” said Buatte.

Buatte lived in the house off of 2600 North and about 900 East with her two children.

There is never a good time for a house fire, but having it happen just a few days before Christmas is about as tough as it gets.

“At one point, you just got to get up and put one foot in front of the other and you can’t dwell on it too much because then you’ll become depressed and no good to anybody,” she said.

Of course, she says it’s a good thing she lives in North Ogden.

Neighbor after neighbor stopped by to not only make sure she was okay, but to drop off cash, food, and to ask how they could help.

“I am completely overwhelmed and appreciative is all I can say,” she said while wiping tears from her eyes. “I wish there was a better thing than thank you.”

One neighbor organized donations on her community Facebook page.

“Yeah, it’s called My Neighborhood Friends,” said Marci Barker, who lives in North Ogden. “I wanted my kids to be able to roam the neighborhood and know who all their neighbors are.”

When Barker started using the page to help her neighbor, she says it took off.

“Luckily, their Christmas is taken care of, but it’s the needs that are going to come long term. They’re good on toilet paper, probably for the rest of their lives” said Barker with a laugh. “But the cash or even gift cards for the kids to do fun things to get their minds off of everything that’s going on.”

The Buatte’s had only moved to North Ogden in July of 2017.

However, her neighbors are treating her like a lifelong resident.

“That’s doesn’t matter how long they lived here,” said North Ogden mayor Brent Chugg. “We’re all here together as a family. The people here are very gracious. They’re charitable and they’re very much ready to help at any time.”

That’s why Robyn Buatte says she hopes to rebuild in the city.

“When I was younger, and I lived in Ogden my whole life, when I was younger I always wanted to live in North Ogden,” said Buatte. “To be closer to the mountain. I have always wanted to live here.”

She knew it was a great community before the fire.

Now, she says she really knows.

“It just means a lot. Like, people I’ve never even met coming up and saying a prayer and giving us money and just wishing us well,” she said. “It makes me feel good that people want to do that but then I know there’s people out there worse off than I am. I’m just hoping I can repay the favor.”

Donations are being accepted at the house immediately east of her burned home.

There is also a fund that has been set up in the Buatte family name at any America First Credit Union.