UNDERWOOD, Iowa — After experiencing unthinkable loss - first their teen daughter and now their home - the Larsen family is feeling immense support from the Underwood community and beyond.
At Tuesday evening's Underwood vs. Riverside basketball game, people were able to make donations to the family following recent events. In October of 2018, Sandra and Tim Larsen's youngest daughter, ShyAnne, died in a car accident. She was sixteen.
"We sat down and they said ShyAnne had been killed in a car accident, my entire world fell apart. I've known her for a very long time. She was my best friend," ShyAnne's close friend Tayia McMullen said.
Along with being a great friend, ShyAnne was a talented softball player and a marching band standout at Underwood High School.
Then just a few days ago, Sandra Larsen watched as their family home caught on fire.
"It was like they would get the fire out and it would just flare up again," she said.
The Larsen's lost everything. Some of the family members are staying with other family, others in hotel rooms. After all of their loss, the local community is stepping up to help.
"Everybody was right behind us when we lost our daughter and they've just turned around and rallied back up for us," Sandra Larsen said.
There has been a Facebook donation page set up to help the family with damage costs. There is also an account set up at American National Bank for the family. Checks can also be made out to Shelby Lange, daughter of the Larsen's and those donations will go to America National Bank for the family.
