MUSKEGO, Wis. — A fire that consumed Bass Bay Brewhouse in Muskego destroyed more than just a restaurant — it took away a family's home just weeks before the holidays.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Neighbors and friends saddened for Muskego family who lost their restaurant and home in devastating fire
AJ Vanhoff, his wife Melissa, their two young daughters, Blair and Bodie, and Melissa's mother, Lori, all survived the blaze that ripped through the restaurant and attached residence. But they lost nearly everything in the flames.
"My brother, he's my best friend," said Kayla Vongphakdy, AJ's sister. "I would go to the ends of the earth to make sure that he's okay and that he's well taken care of."
When Vongphakdy learned about the fire, she dropped everything and rushed to the scene.
Watch: Sister steps into action after Muskego restaurant fire displaces family
"As I got to the woods, there were officers already there, and I basically just told them, I'm here to make sure that my brother's okay, and I'm here to get my nieces," Vongphakdy said.
The relief of knowing her family was safe was overwhelming.
"I cried. I cried so hard, and I just really just wanted to hear my brother's voice," she said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Fire tears through popular Bass Bay Brewhouse restaurant in Muskego
Within hours of the fire, Vongphakdy launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her brother's family rebuild their lives. She said others in the community are also stepping up to help during this difficult time.
"They're a newer family. And just supporting his family and really trying to navigate after this event, I knew that it was going to be a little difficult, so I wanted to kind of give him a head start," Vongphakdy said.
Despite the devastating loss, Vongphakdy describes her family as a "mighty force" that won't be broken by tragedy.
"When one of us is not in the best situation, we all get together and we make things happen," she said.
While walls can be rebuilt, what matters most is that this family still stands together as they face the challenging road ahead.
This story was reported on-air by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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