BRIDGEWATER, Maine — A local woman is lucky to be alive after a fire earlier this month that destroyed her home and claimed the lives of her pets.
Luise Landnusser is still recovering from unspecified injuries at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, according to neighbors who have set up an online gofundme account to buy and furnish a new place for her before she returns.
“In the early morning hours of Feb. 10, Mitch and I were awakened by the dog barking,” said neighbor Allison Wheeler. As the Wheelers “came down the stairs, out our picture window, we saw our elderly neighbor’s house almost completely engulfed in flames. We were panicked thinking she was in her home, but to our relief and amazement, she was in our garage knocking on our door. She was completely covered in soot, could barely speak and breath and had only a pair of mismatched slippers and an old coat on.
“She tried to get her pets out but was unsuccessful,” Wheeler said.
More than 30 firefighters from departments in Bridgewater, Monticello, Mars Hill and Centreville, New Brunswick, fought the fire at the Bootfoot Road home for about four hours, but they were unable to save the building, according to Bridgewater Fire Chief Troy Bradstreet.
Bradstreet said one firefighter suffered a hand injury. The cause of the fire remained under investigation, he said last week.
Wheeler said her neighbor lived “a simple life.”
“Luise is in her 80s and for the last 20 years has lived a simple life on the Bootfoot Road. She is stubborn and independent, but most of all proud. She would never expect anything for free and would certainly not want a hand out of any kind. Our goal is to get a plan in place for her so she can resume her life on the land she loves. She has nothing,” said Wheeler. “We are looking for donations to help secure a small building we can put on the site for her to live.”
Landnusser, who survived World War II in Germany and worked most of her life in New York City at a hotel, is not afraid of hard work or hard times, Wheeler said.
“As a community, I am hopeful we can take the burden from her and help her as much as possible. Cash donations of any amount add up quick. We have set up an account at www.gofundme.com to help her recover. If you’re not comfortable paying by credit card online, Mitch and I would be more than happy to take a check and post the donation for you in the account where you’ll be able to see it,” she said. Donations may be mailed to: Mitch and Allison Wheeler, P.O. Box 42, Bridgewater, ME 04735.
Allison Wheeler said Landnusser is in need of all necessities, since she lost everything in the fire.
The Wheelers have been busy since the fire, visiting Landnusser at EMMC and brainstorming ideas for affordable housing for their neighbor. The two have talked with others about the possibility of purchasing a 12-by-24-foot building, possibly from the Amish, which would be insulated and equipped with electrical and interior walls for about $7,500.
“We’ll then need to put in a kitchen, bathroom fixtures, a heating source, light fixtures and connect water and electric. She has a usable septic tank and well, so that is very helpful. She had no running water and had a terrible time keeping her home heated. The home she lived in was small — enough room for her and her pets,” said Wheeler. “She just did not have the water connected.”
Wheeler said the hope is to have some of the labor and materials donated.
“We strongly feel that we can do everything needed and get her in her new home for around $10,000,” she said.
Wheeler provided a recent update on her Facebook page, indicating Landnusser was doing better and out of the intensive care unit.
“Such great news. The nurses have had her up and walking,” said Wheeler in the post. Initially, plans called for Landnusser to recuperate at her daughter’s home in New Jersey before returning to Aroostook, but Wheeler said in the post that her neighbor “must be feeling better because she told Mitch she is not going south to New Jersey without coming north to the Bootfoot Road first. She said she needs to clean up the mess where her house was. It appears she may be getting back to her feisty self.”
According to Wheeler, Landnusser will be staying in Bangor for “a few more weeks” for rehabilitation before she could attempt to return to Bridgewater, giving supporters a little time to raise funds and set up the new place.
As of about noon Monday, $8,108 had been raised on the gofundme.com account.
“I truly believe that we will somehow be able to get this done for Luise,” said Wheeler. “If you can’t afford to give but can help in some other way please let me know. … If you are handy and have some time to donate, we will need carpenters, plumbers and electricians. We have made Luise aware of our plan and told her that she is going to have to be patient and wait until the weather improves. I am sure she is relieved to know that there is hope she can return to her home.”
Wheeler expressed gratitude to all who’ve donated.
“We are so very thankful for all who’ve donated. If you have not done so yet, please remember that every dollar counts. Donations add up fast. Please continue to pray for Luise for a full recovery as well as prayers of guidance for my husband and me. There are lots of decisions to be made, and we want to utilize every penny to benefit Luise the most.”