'Absolutely amazing': Yellowknife woman seeks to reunite family with mug that survived apartment fire
Robyn Barnet wants to bring displaced family a little piece of what was left of their home
A Yellowknife woman is searching for the owner of a pottery piece found in the remains of a downtown apartment building ravaged by fire, saying that she hopes it can be a sign of healing.
Robyn Barnet lives a few blocks away from the Rockhill apartment complex. The complex caught fire earlier this week, displacing 33 families.
Barnet headed to the burnt remains of the building shortly after the fire. While she was there, she spotted a fragile piece of pottery face-up near some plastic and scrap metal. She thinks it could be a mug or a pencil holder.
"I was struck by the fact that here is something that is quite fragile and was completely intact and I think maybe one of the few things may have survived the fire," said Barnet.
Barnet said the piece smells of smoke and has a small chip in the front, which made her believe it came from the Rockhill apartments. It's dark green, with the face of a bunny etched in it and an inscription in the bottom.
"It is absolutely adorable right down to its cotton tail on the back," said Barnet. "To me, that is absolutely amazing that this could have survived. And since it survived, I think it was meant to go back to its owner."
Barnet took to social media to try and find the owner, and is encouraging the owner of the item to send her a message on Facebook. Barnet hopes the small reward will have a bigger impact on the family.
"It was very emotional and it still is," she said. "These families have lost everything and to think this small little item might be the only thing that a family gets back is amazing to me."
With three kids of her own, Barnet said if and when she is able to find the owner of the piece, she will cry knowing that the family was able to receive a little piece of what was left of their home.
Barnet is encouraging the owner to step forward and claim it. She added that she has reached out to the YWCA to help locate the family missing the piece.
"I hope it's something that [the family] can treasure," she said.
With files from Marc Winkler and Rachel Zelniker