Chesterfield couple plans tribute to their dog that died in house fire

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) - A Chesterfield coupling is planning a tribute to their dog that died after their house burned more than a week ago.

“Where do I go from here without him on my side, who am I going to take hiking on my day off," said Mark Midgett. "Who’s gonna curl up in my arm pit and sniffle around.”

The house that he shared with his girlfriend Tracy is a total loss and will have to be rebuilt from the foundation. Midgett’s pit bull, Steve, lost his life in the fire.

“The single biggest thing was the loss of Steve," Midgett said. "We don’t have children. We have three dogs and they are like our children.”

Midgett rescued Steve about two and a half years ago, and after that the two took dozens of hikes together - they were inseparable.

“He met me all happy-go-lucky, and as soon as I rubbed that belly, it was on from then on,” Midgett said.

In the midst of their sorrow, a friend reached out to the couple and asked about starting a GoFundMe with the hope of raising enough money to cover Steve’s final expenses. It’s called ‘Steve’s Final Hike.’

“In about an hours time we met our goal, and I mean I can’t tell you the chills that gave us. I mean, we were able to go to bed that night with our heads up." Midgett said.

The goal was a $1,000. The account has more than $2,500. Now, the family that lost nearly everything, plans to give away the extra they receive to the Richmond Animal League and to a pit bull organization.

“Of course we’re devastated that Steve passed but we can look forward to walking into these organizations and handing them a check," said Midgett’s girlfriend Traci Franssen. "It’s really giving us a light to look toward.”

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