FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A mother and daughter say they owe their lives to their rescue dog, Wiley, after a fire tore through their RV while they were sleeping.
What’s left of the RV where Joi Roberts and her daughter Heather Belliveau lived is now a burned shell — charred wood, melted wiring, and ash covering nearly everything inside.
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“There was smoke,” Roberts said. “And [Heather] said, ‘Mom, the RV is on fire.’”
The fire started while both women were asleep. They say if it hadn’t been for Wiley, they might not be alive today.
Roberts and Belliveau say Wiley began barking, alerting them just moments before toxic smoke filled the RV.
“We were in shock,” Roberts said. “We didn’t really know what to do. We were just trying to assess what needed to happen.”
Belliveau says the timing made all the difference.
“If it would have been 30 seconds later, I don’t know that we would have been able to get my mom out,” she said. “The place was engulfed with smoke at that point.”
“So you rescued him, and then he rescued you,” asked WPTV’s Michael Hoffman. “He absolutely did,” Belliveau said.
In the hours after the fire, Ginger’s Pet Food Pantry, a local nonprofit, stepped in to help — donating toys, treats, and beds to celebrate Wiley, the four-legged hero.
While most of their belongings were destroyed, Roberts says one unexpected thing survived the fire — Christmas presents for her grandkids, untouched except for a bit of soot.
“I can’t explain it,” Roberts said. “Other than it’s just another miracle. I think we had an evening of miracles, a night of miracles.”
Despite losing their home, their belongings, and Roberts’ resale business, both women say they are focused on gratitude.
“That’s all just stuff that can be replaced,” Roberts said. “My daughter can’t be replaced. Her dogs can’t be replaced.”
“You can’t be replaced,” Hoffman said.
“I can’t be replaced,” Roberts replied. “But I’m grateful because we still have a foundation.”
The family says they are currently staying in a hotel while working toward a more permanent living situation. A GoFundMe has been set up to help them rebuild, and a link can be found here.
