A local family whose home was destroyed in a fire is fighting to turn everything around, inspired by a pit bull named Judge.
The playful pooch suffered third-degree burns that covered 40 percent of his body; it's a miracle he survived at all.
"I didn't think he was alive when they dragged him out," said the dog's owner, Symone Negrini. "It was an hour and a half after the fire started, and I went running thinking I had to do canine CPR."
Judge is undergoing special treatments and will need expensive skin grafts. The town of Riverdale, N.J., has rallied around the family, whose nine other pets were killed in the fire. Neighbors have opened their homes to the Negrinis, who never once thought about putting Judge to sleep despite the medical bills.
"His soul is still with us, like he's not leaving," Saul Negrini said.
Added Fabrizio Negrini: "People don't realize that when you lose everything, this is all you have left. You do what you gotta do."
As Judge heals and the family recovers, the Negrinis are planning several fund-raisers to help defray the veterinary bills.
Anyone can contribute by mailing a check to the following location:
The Negrini Family Fire Fund
Lakeland Bank
28 Main Street
Bloomingdale, NJ 07403
