Six children and their parents are hospitalized after an early morning fire Monday claimed their 117-year-old farmhouse in Deerfield Township.
AJ and Lindsay Rowe, who own the Rustic Marine custom home goods business, lost everything in the fire. A GoFundMe account has been established to benefit the family.
According to Lindsay Rowe, her family woke at 3 a.m. Monday to find their home completely engulfed in flames. She and husband AJ found each of their seven children, and the family members saved themselves by jumping from the second floor windows of their farmhouse.
All of the children and AJ were admitted to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, according to Lindsay.
“Some of my children are in the emergency room, some in the ICU,” she wrote in a GoFundMe update. “AJ is not out of the woods yet, either. He was our absolute hero.”
She asked for prayers.
The couple started Rustic Marine as a side hustle to pay their bills. The business allowed AJ to put his DIY skills to good use, creating custom-made home goods for sale.
Lindsay wrote that AJ gave up a promising Major League Baseball career to join the U.S. Marines after 9/11, and served two tours before returning to civilian life, where he struggles with PTSD. The side hustle to help pay the bills grew into a full-time business, which is allowing AJ to work from home and help other veterans in his situation.
A week before the family welcomed Baby No. 7, they moved into what Lindsay called their dream home on 20-acres in Deerfield Township. And their Rustic Marine business grew in size and scope.
“Not long ago, we were living in a tiny condo, pregnant with baby number 5, and barely making ends meet,” Lindsay wrote in a social media post. “We started Rustic Marine as a weekend side hustle, to pay our bills. It grew pretty quickly, and our goals got bigger. A few years later, we’re living in our dream house, on a farm, running our business full time, with our 7 kids.
“But, more importantly, our goals have evolved. For AJ, being able to work from home, alone, doing something he’s passionate about, is a true blessing. And like many other veterans also struggling from PTSD, it’s the dream, and only viable option, really. Our goal now is to help others reach their dreams. It’s HARD to start a business, it’s HARD to get your products seen. Nobody reached out with a helping hand to us, but I want to be that helping hand for others! I truly believe there is enough sunshine for everyone.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct which family members are hospitalized.
