Help Pleasantville Family Who Lost Everything in a Holiday Fire

A fire at a Pleasantville family home two days before Christmas has displaced two brothers and their elderly mother and destroyed nearly all of their possessions.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help the Tyler family, who are now living in a hotel while they look for another place to live.

Both of the Tyler brothers -- Mark and Raymond -- work in local media and are involved in helping people and volunteering with South Jersey organizations.

Now they need help.

According to the fundraiser, the property's homeowners' insurance will only provide temporary housing through the end of January, putting pressure on the brothers to find a suitable place to stay while they sort through the aftermath of this life-changing fire.

Mark and Raymond Tyler

The Tyler brothers are referred to in the GoFundMe as 'pillars of their community' by fundraiser organizers Krystal Knapp and Steve Lubetkin of the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists.

Mark Tyler is the publisher of Atlantic City Focus, a local news outlet that serves Black residents in Atlantic City.

The Atlantic City Focus,  a digital publication from the Press of Atlantic City, provides coverage and community information that serves Black residents in Atlantic City.

Mark also mentors young people through a drum corps and through his church ministry.

Raymond serves as the arts and entertainment editor for Atlantic City Focus and produces "The Light Morning Show" on WLFR-FM 91.7, Stockton University's radio station.

Their 80-year-old mother suffers from serious mobility issues.

The GoFundMe says she was fortunate to escape to escape from the fire. She will need ongoing assistance from a home health aide, adding to the financial and emotional strain.

A GoFundMe Plea for Help for This Family

The fundraiser for the family, which has raised over $6000 as of Wednesday, makes it clear that this family has been caught in a very tough situation.

Now, this family that has spent years giving back needs help from the community they serve — and from all of us who believe in local journalism, mutual aid, and showing up when it matters most.

Your donation will help the Tyler family begin the long process of recovery after this devastating loss, helping them pay for housing/rent, clothes, equipment for work, and other items the family urgently needs to replace those they lost in the fire.