MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – On Feb. 13, a massive fire destroyed the River North Village Apartment complex in Mount Clemens.
Dino Rasera lost everything he owned in the fire. It wasn’t the material possessions he was worried about, it was his 1-year-old chihuahua puppy Marble -- who was nowhere to be found.
“As soon as I got out, I started screaming her name,” Rasera recalled. “As soon as I got out of the that fire, I was screaming her name. That’s all I thought about.”
Days went by without any luck finding Marble. His friends helped him put up fliers, but Rasera wouldn’t give up. He knew Marble was still alive.
“It’s just a dream. I saw her running back there,” Rasera said. “And it’s just a dream that she was alive. And I never gave up after that.”
Saturday, two weeks after the fire, a man was driving through the complex when he saw Marble on the top floor, peeking out through the wreckage.
Rasera was contacted immediately.
It was a much happier scene Saturday as officials with the Mount Clemons Fire Department were joined with Animal Control officers, who rescued Marble. She had been stuck in the burnt apartment building for two weeks.
Despite having lost everything he’s ever owned, Rasera said he feels blessed.
“That’s a long time in the frigid cold with just a skinny dog,” Rasera said. “As long as I have her and my family, that’s all that matters.”
Rasera said the amount of support his community has given him as they searched for Marble was overwhelming -- they not only helped reunite him with Marble, they raised money to get him food and clothing.
“I just want to thank everybody,” Rasera said.
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