Genre family home destroyed by fire

Shortly before 5 a.m., on Sunday, March 14, Kristie Genre woke to the smell of smoke in her family's Sheyenne home. The lightest sleeper among the Genres, she said it was also likely that she was first jostled awake from the sound of shotgun shells going off in the garage, where the fire started. Husband Ryan awoke and called 911 at 4:53 a.m.

They grabbed their son Fisher, and ran out of the home, he in nothing more than the shorts he had worn to sleep. Disoriented and afraid, Fisher wandered back into the house looking for his brother Hunter, who was staying at a friend's house that night. Kristie brought him back outside and reassured him that his brother was safe. She, too, had been concerned about Hunter, even though she knew he was not at home.

The blaze continued to burn in the garage for nearly a half an hour. Once the flames reached the attic, however, the house was completely engulfed within minutes, Ryan remembers. He recalls standing there watching the flames, and now wonders if he could have saved anything if he had tried. "It's so traumatic that you can't think," he said. At the time, his mind was pondering whether the house could be saved and making sure his family was safe.

Firefighters from both Sheyenne and New Rockford responded to the blaze that morning. Volunteers fought the fire for several hours, draining the city's water tower in the process. Residents were asked to conserve water while the firefighters continued to extinguish the flames.

By 11 a.m., the state fire marshal was on scene to assess the fire. He was there for four hours, asking many questions. Nonetheless, "with the amount of damage where the fire originated, it's nearly impossible to tell what started it," Ryan said he was told by the fire marshal. Ryan was certain, though, that nothing had been haphazardly left on or plugged in, making the cause even more of a mystery.

All members of the Genre family are safe and well, and through the generosity of their community, they have all the necessities they need, including a place to stay, transportation, food and clothing. And it's nothing short of extraordinary.

"That's been really overwhelming, the kindness that people are showing." Ryan said.

Neighbors stepped in immediately, bringing food, clothing and blankets. Kristie's vehicle, which was parked in the garage, was completely destroyed in the blaze. "Ryan Jacobson filled a car with gas and gave me the keys," Kristie declared. "A lady gave us the key to her house. It's amazing!"

"You hear about how this world is turning out, especially with what's going on...and then you see nothing but the good coming out when there is a tragedy like this, and it really touches you," Ryan added, his voice cracking.

"What does your family need right now?" I asked, and the response caught me completely off guard. "We need our family photos back," Kristie said, tearing up. While still reeling the loss of nearly all their worldly possessions, it's the sentimental value that is strongest for this family.

As of Wednesday, they were still waiting for permission to go on scene and begin sifting through the rubble to determine what, if anything, they can salvage. At the top of their list to recover are Hunter's archery medals. Ryan recounted how Hunter's archery prowess was a source of pride for him. "I got to watch every tournament, every medal he won," he said, choking up. Hunter was the state champion archer last year in the boys middle school division, and he had earned quite a few medals in tournaments over the past couple of years.

The Genres are hoping to find those glimmers of metal buried beneath the collapsed floor of their home, which fell into the basement, and in the process may have preserved some of their precious memories. "Even something that small is going to be a huge thing for us," Ryan said.

Both Hunter and Fisher were scheduled to shoot for the state archery tournament this past weekend, without their bows. Through the generosity of a Sheyenne resident, however, new bows are on the way. This kind man, who asked that he not be named, ordered both boys brand new, custom NASP bows, on Sunday afternoon.

An avid hunter, Ryan would also love to recover a taxidermied goose he shot, while hunting with both of his sons. It was sitting in Hunter's bedroom on top of the dresser. Ryan remembered that Fisher was watching him hunt, and Hunter traveled a quarter mile on foot to retrieve it after it was shot.

The Genres dodged another potential tragedy nine years ago when they moved to Sheyenne. At the time they lived in Minnewaukan, and the swelling Devils Lake threatened many homes there. They took a buyout in the summer of 2012 and moved to Sheyenne. It was then that they purchased the home now destroyed by the fire. "It was a beautiful house in a small town," Kristie recalls, noting how fortunate they had felt to find it.

Both Kristie and Ryan hail from north central North Dakota. Kristie is originally from the Devils Lake/Minnewaukan area. Ryan was born in Rugby, and his family moved to Minnewaukan when he was 12 years old.

Kristie has worked at the 4th Corporation for 24 years, and Ryan recently started a new career as an equipment operator for NCZ Express, Inc. of New Rockford. Prior to the pandemic, Ryan worked in the oilfields of western North Dakota drilling oil wells.

For now, they are counting their blessings, and holding each other close. "(The boys) want to know where we are all the time," Kristie said of her sons. And they are sleeping with the few belongings they were able to retrieve.

"We are just very grateful to the communities of Sheyenne and New Rockford," Kristie concluded.

A benefit account for the Genre family has been set up at Community Credit Union. Donations can be dropped off at any branch office or mailed to Community Credit Union, c/o Genre Benefit, 20 1st St N, New Rockford, ND 58356.