Community rallies behind west suburban high school principal who lost pets, home to lightning strike

WINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- A Winfield family returned from vacation to find their pets dead and their home destroyed, along with nearly all of their belongings, after a lightning strike sparked a fire overnight on July 3.

Chris and Alex Tiritelli and their children were in Florida when lightning struck their century-old home in the middle of the night, causing a fire that destroyed the structure and most of its contents. The family had lived in the home for six years and spent countless hours remodeling it.

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Chris Tiritelli said he learned of the fire through a call from a relative.

"It was 3:30 in the morning in Florida. I just heard screaming, 'Your house is on fire!'" he said.

The couple said it was difficult to be so far away as relatives described the fire. While the family was out of state, their pets were trapped inside the home. They have since buried their dog, Luna, and their cat, Sully, in the backyard.

Most of the family's belongings were lost in the fire, including Chris Tiritelli's guitar collection. He said the collection was among the items destroyed. However, one meaningful item survived: the wedding dress Alex Tiritelli wore when the couple married 12 years ago.

Despite the loss, the family said they are focused on what remains.

"We have our kids. Our family. We have the best community," Alexandra Tiritelli said.

That community has rallied around the family, checking in on them, helping them sort through the damaged home, and donating time and money. Family members, neighbors, and work colleagues have all provided support. Chris Tiritelli is the principal at Montini Catholic High School.

The couple said that support has helped them begin recovering from the devastating loss.

"This part of our lives is gone. And it's OK. We're going to figure that out. We're going to have a new life after this and it's going to be OK too," Chris Tiritelli said.

The family said they have been told rebuilding the home could take a year or more. In the meantime, they are looking for rental homes in the area.

A GoFundMe for the family can be found here.