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For the first two years and one month of her educational existence, Zaniyah Byard needed to walk only three blocks to attend William Meredith School, 725 S. Fifth St. The 7-year-old now must set out before sunrise to receive instruction at the Queen Village location because an Oct. 3 electrical fire destroyed her house on the 300 block of Monroe St.
She and eight relatives have spent the last two weeks at a temporary site, hoping repairs can salvage the spot the girl’s great-grandfather, Leroy Cook, has called his home for 47 years.
“I’m working through it,” Zaniyah said Monday of the alteration to her life.
The youngster and mother Angel Byard, neither present when, the episode broke out on the third floor at 5:48 p.m., have both faced scholastic disturbances, as the latter, a Community College of Philadelphia student, lost her books and laptop. The tools joined every other possession as casualties of the flames, though nobody perished.
“We’re grateful for our lives,” Carol Cook-Cadogan, one of six children whom Cook reared in the abode and one of four evacuees from that evening, said. “Thankfully, we didn’t have to attend any funerals.”
Through the American Red Cross, she, her patriarch and the others received a three-week stay at a West Philly housing facility that night. With only the clothes on their backs, they needed immediate aid.
“Leroy has been a beacon for his family,” block mate Eleanor Ingersoll said. “I wanted to help them right away.”
A member of the Friends of Weccacoe Playground, 405-25 Queen St., she consulted with Jeff Hornstein and Carla Puppin, the Queen Village Neighbors Association president and executive director, respectively, on a remedy, deciding on a collection of clothing and household goods. Ingersoll and a few allies oversaw receipt of the items Oct. 4 to 7 at the recreational site, with the affected clan stopping by to retrieve the donations Oct. 7 and 8.
“I appreciate everything everyone has done,” Cook, 84, said after peering at the charred domicile. “I love my neighbors.”
The generosity proved so prolific that Ingersoll et al found themselves inundated with apparel. The surplus caused them to hold a two-day flea market last week, with the undisclosed proceeds going to Cook and his descendants.
“The fire, of course, altered their lives, but it rocked me, too,” Ingersoll said. “I’m closest to Leroy and have always found him incredibly warm, helpful and conscientious.”
The octogenarian, who has long prided himself on being self-sufficient, noted the fire incident has left him feeling dependent but also more aware than ever before of how a community functions. With nearly five decades on the block, he yearns to be among his friends for as long as possible.
“I don’t want to get used to being away,” Cook said. “This is my home.”
Along with the Queen Village civic entity, his brood has accepted assistance from Meredith. Principal Cindy Farlino and other personnel held a dress-down fundraiser day Oct. 5, endowing Zaniyah and her kin with another financial balm.
“I’m really grateful to principal Farlino and the Home and School Association for their help during this time,” Angel Byard said.
The young woman’s aunt, Katrina Smith, grew up in the three-story home and revealed the fire tops the list of difficulties that have befallen her loved ones.
“We have strong family ties, so we are using those as coping methods,” the Delaware resident, who has acted as the group’s main member in promoting senses of camaraderie and belief in resolution for the current matter, said.
Her childhood dwelling has hosted numerous gatherings, including Thanksgiving feasts, where her father has offered appreciation for what each relative and friend has brought to his life. That the location of this year’s holiday meal remains unknown, as do other important matters, worries Cook-Cadogan.
“I felt devastated that night,” she said of fleeing the residence, which has offered her stability and chances to cherish her family. “It’s still tough to put all of the feelings in order, and I keep thinking about the calendar.”
The displaced figures learned they would have three weeks in the West Philadelphia housing facility, with officials vowing to aid them in securing a new residence. As of Monday, they had no clue what might happen to them by Wednesday, the final day of their allotted stay.
“This situation is teaching us all about pulling together with limited resources at our disposal,” Smith said.
Life’s impermanence also is instructing the family on the constant battle between hope and despair. Two weeks after parting with its mainstay, the clan finds itself struggling to decide which side is winning.
“We’ve been hopeful most days,” Angel Byard, busy with catching up on her postsecondary studies, said. “It’s going to be a long process.”
While they wait to see what will happen beyond next week, she and the others picked up a bit of good news Saturday, when a Dumpster appeared to collect items. Its presence has them believing further inspection of the home will occur soon and that they might again one day share fellowship within its walls.
“I’ve always felt I live in a great neighborhood, and seeing how Queen Village residents have come together to let Leroy and his loved ones know how much they care gives me validation that feels so gratifying,” Ingersoll said.
Often dubbed “the patriarch of the neighborhood,” Cook hopes he will be able to add reflections to his extensive time in the expanse, as does Cook-Cadogan.
“What we lost are items and possessions, which are replaceable,” she said. “What remains are memories, which are in our hearts. We want to make more of them.”
To contribute to the family’s recovery, either send a check to the Queen Village Neighbors Association, P.O. Box 63763, Philadelphia, PA 19147 with “Cook Family” in the memo section, or visit qvna.org/schools.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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