Local: PART1: Exploring York, Maine's Historic Gaol (Jail)

Recently we took a tour of York, Maine's historic Gaol, that was first constructed in 1656! The original structure no longer stands, but another was soon built on the same site decades later, and then it was added to many times over, creating a big structure. The tour was a fascinating walk through the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s.There were no ghosts, but in one room I could feel a lot of emotions from the people imprisoned.

(Photo: The oldest room in the gaol. Cold stone walls with no heat during the Maine Winters!)

The Development of York's Old Gaol 150 Years of Construction History 1656 - 1806 

1656 – Maine Provincial Prison. In 1656 John Parker was hired as Maine’s first executioner and prison keeper after a prison was constructed on Gaol Hill. The same year, Robert Cooke of Cape Porpoise became the first person threatened with jail time in Maine’s first prison. It was also known as the "King's Prison" for the King of England.

NO GHOSTS, BUT A LOT OF ENERGY- Imagine being imprisoned in a bare stone cell in the wintertime in Maine... in a room with no heat. People endured that, and their emotions ran high- fear, anxiety and anger. And when I walked into the oldest room of the gaol, which was that stone walled room, I could feel all of those emotions coming from the walls. 

(Sketch: the Old Gaol in 1719. Credit:York Historical Society) 

1707 – York County House of Correction. A House of Correction opened on Gaol Hill, serving as a workhouse for minor criminals and the poor of York County. Inmates in York’s House of Correction repaired shoes and processed flax to pay debts and court-ordered fines.

(Sign: Punishment of Robbery: "shall be punished by a fine, not exceeding 1,000 pounds, imprisonment, fetting in the pillory, whipping, fetting on the gallows or other end thereof throws over the gallows, confinement to hard labor not exceeding three years...") 

1720 – Stone-Walled York County Prison. In disrepair and lacking security, the York County Court ordered the replacement of the 1656 prison with a stone walled building in 1719. The new building was located on Gaol Hill and lumber from the 1656 building probably was used in the new structure.

1729 – Prison House. After 1720 and peace with Canada to the north, York County’s population grew dramatically. With more people came increased crime and the need for greater monitoring of prisoners. In 1729 a small house was built enabling the prison keeper to live on-site.

(Photo: The main room on the second floor atop the stairs/Display of some irons to restrain prisoners)

1737 – Prison Kitchen. Before 1737, food for York’s prisoners probably was cooked off-site. In that year, a kitchen was constructed in a space that formerly served as an open-air prison yard for the exercise of prisoners. The level of the original yard was more than a foot lower than the current kitchen floor, which is why one must now stoop to enter the 1719-1720 stone prison.

1763 – Second Floor Cells. As the 18th century progressed, Americans became more concerned with the treatment of prisoners. With little light and dank conditions, the stone prison cell no longer was used for prisoners once two new cells with tall windows were constructed on the second floor in 1763.

1799 – First Floor Addition and Second Floor Debtor Cell. Economic turmoil brought on by the American Revolution and Independence caused more and more Americans to fall into debt. As a result, in 1799, York County added additional space to the House of Correction, with a large debtors cell built above it on the second floor.

SHOES FOUND- In that second floor debtor cell, under the floorboards, archaeologists found shoes. Prisoners would apparently make shoes for soldiers there.

1806 – Storage Cellar and Room. The York County Court ordered the construction of a cellar in 1806. This space probably served as cool food storage for the House of Correction, with the structure built above it probably functioning as an administrative office and dry attic storage.

For information to visit: Old York Historical Society P.O. Box 312 / 3 Lindsay Rd, York, ME 03909, Visitor Services 207-363-1756, Administration 207-363-4974

NEXT: SOME INFAMOUS PRISONERS OF THE YORK GAOL

Idiot of the Week: Trevor Lee, a Utah Republican House Rep, Resigns, Charged with Fraud

This week's idiot is a conservative legislator in the Utah House, who was charged with fraud and resigned. 

(Photo: Rep. Trevor Lee (R-Layton, UT), is pictured on the House floor at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on the final night of the legislative session, Friday, March 6, 2026. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Trevor Lee (R) resigns from Utah House as AG charges him with fraud 

 ByAlixel Cabrera, Utah News Dispatch, September 28, 2026 5:57 pm

Trevor Lee, a Republican representative from Layton and one of the most controversial figures in the Utah Legislature, has resigned after being charged with fraud on Monday.

Lee is facing four felony charges in 3rd District Court after being accused of forging employment documents to obtain a home loan, according to court documents filed by the Utah Attorney General’s Office.

Lee said in a prepared statement sent through the House of Representatives on Monday that he was resigning because of personal reasons and did not mention the investigation.

“Due to personal circumstances that require my attention, I no longer feel I can give my constituents the time, attention, and service they deserve,” Lee said. “I will always be grateful for the people I have met, the relationships I have built, and the opportunity I have had to serve the people of Utah.”

His resignation is effective immediately and the Davis County Republican Party will hold a special election to fill the vacancy for the rest of the year, the remainder of his term. Lee, who represented House District 16 since 2023, lost his reelection bid during the June primaries, so he wasn’t returning to the Legislature next year.

“I appreciate Rep. Lee’s service and accept his resignation,” House Speaker Mike Schultz said in the statement released by the House.

Lee didn’t respond to a request for comment about the charges on Monday, though a delivery indicator message showed he received it. He is known as one of the state’s most conservative Republican lawmakers, sponsoring unsuccessful measures this year seeking to bar immigrants from public assistance and focusing on removing legal protections for Utah’s transgender community.

According to the investigation conducted by the Utah Attorney General’s Office, Lee had requested $93,000 in cash advances from Trent Spafford, CEO of the water treatment company Enevive, to show increased income in order to get a home mortgage. “Lee said he would make Spafford ‘whole’ by securing Spafford’s company a government contract with Hill Air Force Base,” the charging documents say.

Lee indicated he was the sales director of Blue Logic, another water treatment company, with a monthly salary of $15,833 in his mortgage paperwork. He also said he worked for Enevive from July 2024 to October 2025 for a monthly salary of $13,761, attaching offer letters for both companies.

A representative from Blue Logic said the company “had made Lee an offer that Lee never accepted, that Lee asked for the letter to help obtain a home loan, that Lee was a contract employee rather than a full-time employee, and that the letter was prepared to help Lee as a friend and was not accurate,” according to the charges.

Spafford, the CEO of Enevive, told investigators the documents attached to Lee’s mortgage application from his company were fraudulent and that his signature was forged. After initially denying signing Spafford’s name, court documents say Lee later confirmed to prosecutors that “the Enevive employment contract was not signed by Spafford and that he had signed it.” He also acknowledged that he knew Blue Logic could not afford to pay him the salary he had indicated in the loan application. The Enevive income Lee reported was also contradicted by his W-2, the filing says. The total wages he reported in 2024 from the company were $55,634.

Prosecutors reviewed Lee’s loan documents, which charging documents said secured him a $1 million conventional loan structured as a refinance, returning $317,190.99 in cash to Lee.

The investigation backs up claims against Lee that were publicized by Spafford and another of Lee’s former bosses, Jason Walton, president of Moxie Pest Control, just before the Davis County Republican Party Nominating Convention and calling on voters not to reelect him. Walton said at the time that when Lee worked for him in 2013, he doctored checks to boost his pay.

Lee told Utah News Dispatch of the checks in April, “This was something I did as a stupid college kid and paid my debt. I’ve gotten married and I’m now the proud father of 5 wonderful children.” He denied any improper business dealings with Spafford.

Lee is charged with one count of communications fraud and one count of mortgage fraud, both second-degree felonies carrying a possible penalty of one to 15 years in prison. He also faces one count each of forgery and possession of a forgery device, third-degree felonies with a potential penalty of up to five years in prison.

Happy Halloween - A Look Back at our Canine kid costumes

Happy Halloween! This is a look at the costumes that we've made for our canine kids over the years. Sadly, all of these kids are now in spirit, but the memories remain. Wishing you a wonderful Halloween!

Books of the Week: Werewolf by Night, vols. 1 and 2 (Marvel Comics Essentials collection)

Since it's almost Halloween, this week is a Double-Book of the week, because it's about a Werewolf. And, if you read one volume, you have to read the second. So I recently enjoyed Marvel Comics' "Werewolf By Night" - Essential collections Volumes 1 and 2, which starts with the characters' first appearance in the 1970s up to the final issue #43 in 1977. I've always been intrigued by the character so this was a treat to read. Today's blog is about my experience and info about these two volumes of 580 pages of reprints. 4 of 5 Stars for me.

Jack Russell is the Werewolf by Night. When this kid turned 18 he was suddenly made aware of a curse on his family, where at that age, everyone transforms into a werewolf during full moon periods. The character has a younger sister who is afraid of turning into a werewolf, and it turns out his step dad isn't the person he thought he was. The sister gets cured, but Jack doesn't. When the series was 3/4ths of the way through, it got weird and took away from the character's struggle (which was dealing with his transformations where he had no control or memory of what he did as a werewolf), and for about 8 issues, I was losing interest. But around issue #41 (third to last in the entire series), it started getting better. 

MY THOUGHTS ON THE SERIES -  I love the concept and the struggle of an 18 year old trying to deal with being a werewolf at full moon events. I also didn't mind reading about a muscular shirtless guy (although some artists could have been better at depicting him) becoming a werewolf. I couldn't figure out how he managed to survive though, without a job... other than likely living off his step father, but that would distract from the stories I suppose. 

 

In the last couple of issues, #42 and #43, Iron Man was a guest and Jack Russell was able to transform into a Werewolf on command and maintain his human mind - which made the character MUCH BETTER, in my opinion. Then, sadly, the series ended at #43. 

ABOUT THE COLLECTIONS - Marvel Comics' Essential Werewolf by Night Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are black-and-white trade paperbacks from Marvel Comics that collect the complete 1970s classic Werewolf by Night series and related appearances of Jack Russell. Each volume spans 580 pages! 

Volume 1 - Release Date: October 2005 

 Contents: Marvel Spotlight #2–4; Werewolf by Night (vol. 1) #1–21; Marvel Team-Up #12; Giant-Size Creatures #1; and The Tomb of Dracula #18.Key Highlights: Collects the origin and earliest adventures of Jack Russell, introducing characters like Lissa Russell, Buck Cowan, and Topaz, plus crossover appearances with Spider-Man and Dracula.

Volume 2 - Release Date: November 2007 

Contents: Werewolf by Night (vol. 1) #22–43; Giant-Size Werewolf #2–5; and Marvel Premiere #28.Key Highlights: Features the conclusion of the original 1970s series, guest appearances by the Frankenstein Monster and Morbius, and the historic first appearance of Moon Knight in Marvel Premiere #28

RECOVERED! Lost Italian Statue by Trevi Fountain Artist Discovered in Salvage

 Here's a story about a piece of artwork by the Famous Italilan sculptor who created the famous Trevi Fountain. This statue was discovered by a sharp eyed person, who noticed it in a salvage yard. That's today's blog. 

(Image: 300-year-old model by Baroque master Pietro Bracci of Pope Clement XII (circa 1736) Woolley & Wallis / SWNS) 

Lost Italian Statue by Trevi Fountain Artist Discovered in Salvage Yard Among the Garden Ornaments

Good News Network -Oct 10, 2026

A Roman artifact from the Italian sculptor responsible for the Trevi Fountain was discovered in a reclamation yard for a mere 300 British pounds ($400).

The 27-inch-tall (68cm) model was fashioned by Pietro Bracci as a pitch for a giant bronze sculpture of Pope Clement XII, which was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate the pope’s donation to the Capitoline Museums.

While the final full-sized bronze was tragically melted down for scrap metal 60 years later, Bracci’s presentation ‘maquette’ made of marble—believed to have been completed in the 1730s—quietly survived.

Shipped back to a country estate in England, it fell out of favor and was moved outdoors to become a common garden ornament.

Seeing it sitting among hundreds of architectural cast-offs, a builder with a sharp eye for antiquities spotted its quality in the salvage yard in Wiltshire and took a chance that he may have found a treasure.

It was was put up for auction yesterday by Woolley & Wallis after it was estimated to fetch between $6,600 to $13,300 because of its uniqueness, and artist’s signature.

“It’s an exceptionally exciting discovery,” said the auction house’s furniture specialist Mark Yuan Richards.

“To have a rare eighteenth-century marble figure of Pope Clement XII by Pietro Bracci come to light, and now be offered for sale, is a remarkable opportunity.

“Bracci was one of the great sculptors of eighteenth-century Rome, and this extraordinary survivor offers a tangible connection to the world of the papal court and the artistic splendor of the period.”

Made Page One! My Talk tomorrow in York, Maine

On Thursday, October 29th, 2026 at 5:15pm, I am giving a lecture at the York Public Library, in York, Maine! And the library put an article in the local newspaper called the Sentinel that appeared on the front page.  

ABOUT THE LECTURE: Many Ghosts of a New Hampshire Library and Maryland AirBnB

    From 2 of Rob’s books, you can experience a public paranormal investigation at the Hunt Memorial Library in Nashua, NH with Rob and Monique Toosoon. Their findings revealed three ghosts that were not associated with the building but chose the building as their residence. Together with other paranormal professionals and members of the public they uncovered a haunted secret love, illicit trysts, a ghostly teenage accident victim and haunted paintings.     In the Ghosts of Linville Manor – Maryland’s Most Haunted House, Rob’s investigation revealed the identities of several ghosts, including one who remains there due to being unjustly accused. This book details that investigation, provides a glimpse of the home's past, and shares many of the supernatural interactions people have experienced.

YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY Amanda Johnson, Programming Librarian

15 Long Sands Road | York ME 03909 

207-363-2818 ext.1023 | yorkpubliclibrary.org

Library Hours: M-Th 10-7, Fri 10-5, Sat 10-2 

Missing Celtic fort annihilated by Julius Caesar finally found under Paris hospital

Archaeologists in Paris have discovered the remains of a missing Celtic fort sacked by Julius Caesar in 52 B.C. and part of Lutetia, a Celtic settlement. Today's blog shares this amazing discovery from the first century B.C.

(Photo: Archaeologists have been working at the excavation site, on the Île-de-la-Cité in Paris, since February 2026. Image credit: Anastasia Choquet/DRAC Île-de-France)

ABOUT LUTETIA - Lutetia was a Celtic pre-Roman settlement founded by the Parisii tribe around the 3rd century BCE on an island in the Seine River (modern-day Île de la Cité in Paris, France)

DISCOVERY! Missing Celtic fort annihilated by Julius Caesar finally found under Paris hospital

LIVE SCIENCE,By Kristina Killgrove Edited by Tia Ghose, Pandora Dewan, Published September 23, 2026

Archaeologists excavating a Paris hospital's courtyard, a stone's throw from Notre-Dame, have discovered the first evidence of a Celtic fort that Julius Caesar tried to conquer in 52 B.C. The ancient walls show evidence of a violent fire, seemingly confirming the claim that the Celtic group who lived there, known as the Gauls, burned down their own town so that it wouldn't fall into Caesar's hands.

"The wall's architecture, with its large blocks and interlocking beam system, immediately led us to believe it was a wall of Gallic tradition," Dorothée Chaoui-Derieux, chief curator of heritage at the Île-de-France Regional Archaeology Service, said in a translated statement. Traces of fire and first century B.C. artifacts further suggested the archaeologists had finally found material evidence of Lutetia, a Celtic settlement mentioned in Caesar's Gallic Wars.

(Image: Archaeologists have uncovered a significant discovery beneath the Hôtel-Dieu on the Île de la Cité, potentially providing the first material evidence of Lutetia, the Celtic settlement mentioned in Julius Caesar's account of the Gallic Wars in 52 B.C.  Photo credit Hamid Azmoun, Inrap.)

In the first century B.C., Lutetia was a Celtic pre-Roman settlement, known as an "oppidum", in what is now Paris. Lutetia was the capital city of the Parisii tribe, who lived along the River Seine. As part of the Gallic Wars, which ran from 58 to 50 B.C., Julius Caesar and his troops fought the Battle of Lutetia in 52 B.C. The Romans won a decisive victory, but the Gauls burned Lutetia and cut the bridges so that Caesar could not take the town. As a result, the ancient fort had never been found.

But in February, a team of archaeologists began excavating in the courtyard of the Hôtel-Dieu, which is Paris's oldest working hospital. On the small Île-de-la-Cité island in the middle of the Seine, close to Notre-Dame, the archaeologists discovered a 65-foot (20-meters) stone and timber wall typical of Celtic fortifications. Charred facing, burnt seeds and a burned wooden building discovered nearby suggested the site had been destroyed by a fire.

"The initial results of carbon-14 dating of the wooden elements suggest a date range between 200 and 10 B.C. Furthermore, a Gallic spearhead was found at the foot of the wall," Chaoui-Derieux said.

Good News- Democratic Congressional Push Re-Activates 988 Crisis Line for LGBTQ people

Today's blog is a light in the darkness. In July, 2025, the Trump Administration closed down accessibility for LGBTQ people to talk with someone in crisis through the National 988 crisis number (because they despise LGBTQ people).Finally, thanks to intervention from an Illinois democrat, that life-saving crisis line has been reactivated in October, 2026.

988 LGBTQ+ youth crisis line Finally restored after 14 months 

Advocate, October 2026

For more than 14 months, LGBTQ+ young people seeking help through the nation’s suicide prevention lifeline could no longer choose the specialized service created for them. On Wednesday, that option returned without The Trevor Project, the organization that helped launch it.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin and The Trevor Project separately confirmed that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services, commonly known as “Press 3,” had resumed. The restoration follows a congressional directive and sustained pressure to reverse the Trump administration’s July 2025 shutdown.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat who pushed for the restoration, welcomed the service’s return Thursday, October 8, 2026, while calling for continued access. “When an LGBTQ+ young person reaches out for help in a moment of crisis, they deserve to reach a counselor trained to understand and support them,” he said in a statement. "This program should never have been taken away, and now we need to make sure it stays available for every young person who needs it."

The original service began as a pilot in September 2022, connecting LGBTQ+ young people with counselors trained to address their needs through calls, texts, and online chats. 

The Trump administration ended it on July 17, 2025. The broader 988 network continued operating, but the dedicated LGBTQ+ service disappeared.

Doggy Beach Experience! York Beach, Maine

 Over the last couple of Monday blogs we told you about places we took our visitors in early October, and one was York Beach, Maine. But our three little dogs got to come along and we don't know if was the first time any of them experienced a beach. 

(Tom with Jimmy, Joey, Rob and Roger sit for a spell on the rocky beach)

DOG REACTIONS!  - Each one of the kids had their own unique reactions and experiences at the beach during this first time visit! 

Roger, our long-haired black and tan Dachshund, seemed to be loving his first Maine beach visit!  He seemed very happy and smiled a lot! 

Little Jimmy, the smaller and lighter colored of the two Chiweenie brothers was trying to understand what the ocean was and why the beach ended into it! He was also watching people walking on the beach.

Joey, the larger Chiweenie who looks more like a Dachshund than his brother Jimmy, was on guard all the time. He never stopped looking around to see who may have been coming. Joey is definitely the protector and watch dog of the pack, and he's especially protective of his little brother Jimmy. 

 

(Photo -R to L: Joey, Roger and Jimmy enjoyed their first beach visit!) 

ABOUT LONG SANDS BEACH - Long Sands Beach stands as the crown jewel of york beaches maine, extending 1.5 miles along Route 1A. This expansive stretch of golden sand attracts surfers, sunbathers, and families. The beach faces southeast, providing spectacular sunrise views and afternoon sun exposure. During summer months, lifeguards patrol designated swimming areas, ensuring safe conditions for families with children.

HISTORY OF YORK BEACHES - According to Maine's Beaches.com,

York’s colonial legacy extends back to 1624, making it one of America's oldest English settlements. However, the transformation of york beaches maine into a tourist destination occurred during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The arrival of railroad service in the 1870s made coastal Maine accessible to urban populations from Boston and beyond. Wealthy families built grand summer cottages, while enterprising locals established hotels, boarding houses, and beach amenities. York’s development as a beach resort accelerated through the 1900s, establishing patterns that continue today.

The historic preservation of York's character distinguishes it from more commercialized beach destinations.

Idiot of the Week: A NY School Board Member Thought the Salem Witch Trials were about "Satan"

You would think that someone elected to a school board would know that the Salem Witch Trials were all about "religious hysteria" concocted against women (and a few men) in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. But this week's IDIOT, who happens to be a pastor, thought it was about "satan." Why he is on a school board is absurd.

(Batavia NY school board member and Christian pastor Dan Schmidt)

SUMMARY:  In New York, Batavia school board member and Christian pastor Dan Schmidt voted against a senior trip to Boston because students wanted to visit the Salem Witch Museum. He called it “Satanic”—then admitted he didn’t know its history.

Christian school board member melts down over class trip to “Satanic” Salem Witch Museum

Batavia City Schools board member Dan Schmidt admitted he didn’t know the museum’s history—but condemned it anyway

A member of the Batavia City Schools board in New York voted against approving a senior class trip to Boston because the itinerary included a stop at the Salem Witch Museum.

As “a pastor in the room,” Dan Schmidt explained, “we're going to send our kids to a witch museum? To me, like, that is awful.” He later voted against the trip as a whole because he didn’t want kids going to “what I would consider a Satanic witch museum.”

He was the only vote against the trip. But the discussion surrounding it was appalling to watch.

Here's the video story if you prefer to watch/listen:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hemant Mehta (@friendly.atheist)

Student representatives presented a draft itinerary to members of the school board. The itinerary, as it stands, includes the Duck Tour, a dinner cruise, and a stop at the Salem Witch Museum, which chronicles the infamous trials from the 1600s.

I’ve been there. It’s fascinating. It’s an educational experience, not an attempt to indoctrinate anyone into witchcraft. My kids loved it, too.

But Schmidt heard the word “witch” and couldn’t get over it.

Even when one parent (the one sitting with her back to the camera) tried to explain how visiting the Witch Museum would be incredible for her own daughter, Schmidt just dismissed her and kept ranting. 

 Deanna King is the mother of a student in that district, and she posted about Schmidt’s comments earlier this week—along with a brief lesson on the Salem Witch Trials. (Definitely worth watching!): VIDEO: instagram LINK Salem, she explained, was a reminder of what can happen when “fear becomes more powerful than facts.”

Gave a Halloween lecture about a haunted library in another one!

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, I gave a lecture about my book the 'Haunting of Hunt Memorial Library" at the William Fogg Library in Eliot, Maine, which also happens to have a ghost! 

I've given a couple of lectures there and each time I've come in, I've sensed a ghost in the far back room. Before this lecture, an attendee told me of a paranormal group that investigated previously, and saw an object thrown off the mantle of a fireplace in one of the other rooms.

If you want to read about the three ghosts I encountered at the Hunt Memorial Library, Pick up a copy of the book (by Rob Gutro) on Amazon in paperback, Kindle or Audiobook!

Here's a link to the short video I made explaining about the three ghosts I encountered in the Hunt Memorial Library": https://youtube.com/shorts/l_UJxqTW2JY?si=OlZDycePpCt2OnJn

Hero of the Week! Oil truck driver saves dog in NH House fire

 This week's hero is a truck driver who happened to be driving in a neighborhood and saw a house on fire, so he pulled over and raced to the house to see if someone was trapped inside. He wound up saving a dog, and firefighters who arrived soon after saved cats from the home. 

(Max the dog, saved by Matthew Wrisley. Photo credits: D.F. Richard Energy)

Oil truck driver saves dog in Rochester, NH fire: 'What a courageous act'

By Karen Dandurant, Foster's Daily Democrat, Sept. 24, 2025 

ROCHESTER, New Hampshire — Matthew Wrisley, an oil truck driver for D.F. Richard Energy, is being credited with saving a family's dog in a fire that destroyed their home Sept. 23, 2026.

Michael LaPanne, operations manger for D.F. Richard, said Wrisley was driving by when he saw the mobile home on fire at 23 Royal Crest Park in the Hideaway Village neighborhood. He said Wrisley is shy and doesn't want attention for saving Max, the dog.

"He kicked in the door and saved the dog," LaPanne said. "He is kind of embarrassed by all the attention he is receiving. He said he just did it, and he would do it again, because it was the right thing to do. He said he just wants to go back to doing his job."

Max the dog was saved in a fire in Rochester by a D.F. Richard Energy oil truck driver. Dylan and Erin L'Heureux and their young son were not home at the time of the fire and they are safe. Their two cats were located by firefighters, given oxygen and survived.

Owen Richard, grandson of the D.F. Richard Energy's founder, Ray Richard, said the company is very proud of Wrisley.

Fire strikes a home at 23 Royal Crest Park in the Hideaway Village neighborhood in Rochester Sept. 23, 2025. Dianna Purves, a resident of 47 Royal Crest Park, said she witnessed the driver's heroics and talked to him.

"He could barely see Max’s black face in the front window," she said. "Took him a few tries to kick in that door. He coaxed Max to come to him because he couldn’t go in and he took him and went down to the end of the street just in case the propane exploded. Thankfully that didn’t happen. He waited for the owner to show up. He loves dogs. He has dogs himself. He even had a leash for Max so he could be safely walked to the owners' aunt’s house. I absolutely love Max and was very relieved to see him sitting in the D.F. Richard van. ... He was a hero. What a courageous act."

How to help family who lost home in fire

Kevin Brigham, president and board chair for Hideaway Village Cooperative, set up a fundraising effort to help the family: gofund.me/d8a735913.