Mother who performed CPR on triplet loses home in fire

Less a month after she had to perform life-saving CPR on one of her newborn triplets, Danielle Johnston and her family are reeling after a fire destroyed their home southeast of Weyburn.

Johnston, her husband and their seven children weren’t home at the time, but in Saturday’s blaze they lost their house near Griffin, Sask., and all of their possessions, according to family friend Brianna Ereth.

“It’s gone. It’s completely gone. There’s nothing,” Ereth said Sunday afternoon in an interview.

Johnston and her family have spent the last several weeks living in a camper, so they can be near the triplets in Regina, Ereth said. Friends are working to line up somewhere more permanent, she added.

“I don’t understand how she’s even holding up. It boggles my mind,” Ereth said of her friend, who she has known for years and has been a “complete rock” over the last 24 hours.

As of Sunday afternoon, more than 200 people had donated a total of $18,245 to a Gofundme online fundraiser Ereth set up Saturday afternoon. The fundraiser has a goal of $100,000.

The funds are expected to help replace specialty items, including triple strollers and triple high chairs, that Johnston spent the last eight months buying in preparation for the triplets’ arrival.

“It gives me goosebumps. I go from being devastated for her to just crying because of all the people who are willing to donate things,” Ereth said.

On July 16, hours after returning home following an appointment with her physician, Johnston began having strong contractions. The first of the triplets, Karlee, was born soon after.

“Her breathing was really shallow and lagging so I just gave her CPR and pumped her chest until the ambulance came,” Johnston told The Canadian Press earlier this month.

Johnston’s oldest son, 15-yearold Dillon, called 911 and helped her to the couch. When paramedics arrived, they put Karlee on oxygen. Jack and Liam were born in Regina the following day.

“(There were) no adverse effects on Karlee at all and they ’re all just so strong and healthy,” Johnston said.

According to Ereth, Karlee was released from hospital last week. Liam and Jack are expected to be out of the neonatal intensive care unit on Sunday.

“The family was ecstatic about having everyone home under one roof,” Ereth wrote on the Gofundme page. “Sadly, now with the loss of the family home, that dream is once again out of reach.”