Community rallies – and skates – for survivors of tragic fire in Donora

By KRISTIE LINDEN
Assistant Editor
klinden@yourmvi.com
The fundraiser Roll R Way in Donora held Saturday for those impacted by a devastating Christmas Eve fire did more than collect some cash – it gave the children at the heart of the tragedy a chance to just be kids again for a little while.
Nate and Vanessa Honabarger, who tragically lost their parents in the McKean Avenue fire, and Alesha Pope, whose house was heavily damaged, were all able to skate and have fun while the community came together to support them.
Roll R Way owner Will Medina said the Honabarger kids enjoyed a game of laser tag, too.
“We had the Honabarger-Smith family here and we had the young lady from the Pope family (Alesha) as well,” Medina said. “Early Friday morning, James (Smith, the Honabargers’ stepfather) made his way down to speak to me and he was choking up. And that was after he’d received donations from other community members. You just see how much every little thing means to these families.
“To see them here, playing laser tag on us…they said that was so much fun to get their minds off of it. Nathan skated and it meant a lot. We’re doing it for them and to see them and see them skate and play laser tag…it’s just another way that we could help them during this time.”
Roll R Way collected household and personal items all last week, in addition to gift cards and cash donations leading up to a special two-hour skate for $8 with proceeds going to the families. Medina said $500 was collected at the door in addition to more physical donations.

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