TOLEDO, Ohio — This time of year, plans often involve going home for the holidays. But for a University of Toledo baseball player, that visit home turned into a nightmare on Saturday.
Tristan Sipple is number 39 on the University of Toledo baseball team. Head coach Rob Reinstetle said he transferred into the Rockets' program this year.
"Tremendous kid, he works really hard, he's done well in the classroom, so he's kind of been that prototypical student-athlete for us," Reinstetle said.
Reinstetle said that Sipple was back in his hometown of Middletown, located between Dayton and Cincinnati, when his childhood home caught on fire.
"To go through that is bad enough," Reinstetle said. "But to go through that during this time of year right before Christmas and all of that is even worse."
Reinstetle said the house is a total loss, and what Sipple had in the Rockets baseball locker room is pretty much all he has left.
"When you lose everything, that takes a toll on you," he said. "But I think each day goes by, he gets better."
The community is donating to the family which has been a huge help, Reinstetle said. Several organizations are giving clothes, and even a new baseball glove since that was lost in the fire, too.
Kelly Phelps is a family friend from Middletown who has been helping to get more clothing donations for the family. She also organized a GoFundMe.
"We've been friends with the Sipples since the boys were little," Phelps said. "Just really broke my heart for them and knew we had to do something for them, just to help them recover."
As of Wednesday night, the GoFundMe is nearly halfway to its goal. Phelps says it wasn't hard deciding to help.
"If someone is in need, they are always there to help so we're just returning the favor," she said.
Sipple's coach said he is glad the community is coming together to help the family.
"People are donating and helping this kid out that have never really met him, that have never even spoken to him, they don't even know who he is because he's new to our program," Reinstetle said. "But because he's a Toledo Rocket, they are jumping in."
WTOL 11 reached out to the family for comment, and they were not available during this difficult time. There is no word yet on how the fire happened.
If you would like to help out, visit the GoFundMe campaign for the Sipple family below or at this link.
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