LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (KXXV) — At 11 a.m. this Saturday, a fund-raising event with auctions, food, and family fun will be held for the May family at Lakeview Baptist Church in Lacy Lakeview.
An African safari hunting trip and a local fishing trip are some of the bigger prizes up for grabs.
One of the event coordinators, Janice Ketcher, says 45 items have been donated but more are needed.
"We need some fishing equipment, some fishing poles and some coolers — a couple of coolers for donations," Ketcher said.
"We were going to fill a couple of them with meat and some other items."
Susan and John's daughter Brandy stopped by to donate some items and gave an update on repairs to her parent's home.
"They've got all the damaged stuff off and replaced the windows, so it's getting started," she said.
Brandy said this whole ordeal has really impacted her parent's health.
25 News Bobby Poitevint asked, "Do you feel like the funds from this fundraiser are still pretty needed, even though home owners insurance are still going to be helping out?", 25 News reporter Bobby Poitevint asked.
"With doctors appointments that's always an ongoing thing," Brandy said.
"They have health issues — this has put a lot of stress on them."
Ketcher says all the money that's raised will go to John and Susan May.
"They can actually get things done inside the house, because it's all kind of jumbled up right now, but they are working on it," she said.
"They're just trying to use that extra money to go toward the house — anything that they may need because they're on a fixed income."
Since the fire training and fire itself, there's been a lot of heat put on local leaders to help out and questions surrounding the city's responsibility in repairing the May couple's home.
While Brandy says they have not heard much from city leaders recently, and the family is not really optimistic or pushing for the city's help at this point, 25 News spoke with Mayor Niecey Payne about the matter after last week's council meeting.
"I am very disappointed that they have to here, what was that — May, June, July, two months later — to still be facing their house still in that condition," Payne said.
"That does sadden me — I'm hoping that here in the near future that that's taken care of because like I said, that is very saddening — it's a family, it's a citizen of our community, and so that concerns me. I'm really hoping that they can get the repairs done here soon."
"How much involvement is the city having on this with their insurance company to pay for this?", 25 News asked.
"I'm going te be transparent again and say I'm really, really not sure — that would probably be a question you'd have to have for the City Manager."
25 News reached out to City Manager Calvin Hodde for updates in the case — he responded Wednesday with a statement that reads:
"On May 22, 2024, Mr. and Mrs. May and their daughter Brandi came to the Lacy Lakeview Police Department to request an investigation be conducted regarding the Lacy Lakeview Fire Department training exercise at 218 Birch Street, Lacy Lakeview. Hodde and any "friends" and Tomas Cardoza were instructed not to contact the May family. On May 21, 2024, at 7:18 am, the City of Lacy Lakeview filed a claim with TML, the city's insurance company. On June 11, 2024, a subrogation claim was sent to the City of Lacy Lakeview from Farmers insurance, which is May's insurance company. This information was forwarded to TML on June 11, 2024. The city attorney responded to this subrogation claim and as of today, has not received a response."
