Fire Destroys Mother and 11-Yr. Old Son’s Holmdel Home

Too much tragedy for one family: Lisa O'Leary-Clauser's husband (and her son Jack's father) died suddenly just 6 months ago. Now this mom and her son have lost their entire home.

The community has come together to rally around Lisa and her son Jack Clauser, both with a GoFundMe page (see below) and a Pizza Fundraiser in Holmdel which will take place this evening (Tuesday, Sept. 1st) from 5 pm - 9 pm at Salerno's Pizzeria, 80 Bethany Road in Hazlet. ALL proceeds go to the Clauser family.

The fire, which wiped out their entire home, happened on Aug. 22nd around 10 pm. Lisa Clauser shared a personal letter about the place where she was born and raised in Holmdel:

"744 Holmdel Road was my childhood home. It's the home in which my parents raised me and would eventually become the home in which I would raise my son.

My parents bought my childhood home in 1966. Here they raised both me and my brother and sent us through the Holmdel Public School system. They were always big fans of Holmdel and the local community and passed that down to me.

After my parents passed away, knowing how much I loved and cherished this home, it was left to me. At that time, the house was in great need of an extensive renovation and after much consideration my husband Derrick and I decided to rebuild a new home for our son to be a family of 3 (and our cat Frankie.)

In Feb. of 2011, Derrick, myself, baby Jack and Frankie-the-cat moved into our beautiful new home on 744  Holmdel Road, the most comforting place that I knew so well. There it begins and the rest is another chapter, or might I say many chapters, in the O'Leary-Clauser family history book.

As one would imagine, I have no words that would come close to describing the heartbreak and devastation of losing my home. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to listen to my story.

Sincerely,

Lisa O'Leary-Clauser"

Donations are being accepted through a GoFundMe page. CLICK HERE if you would like to help.

Sadly, that GoFundMe page was set up when they lost Derrick, beloved husband and father of this family. The description of him on GoFundMe is that he was their rock and the foundation of their family and that they will be lost without him. My heart goes out to this now-single mom and a young boy who has suffered so much loss so suddenly.