A 13-year-old Huntersville boy helped rescue a dog from a burning garage and then organized a fundraiser for two families displaced by a fire on Barnstable Drive.

Holden Nardone spotted flames at his friend Wesley's house on the evening of Sunday, Oct. 18, and ran to help, according to WSOC-TV. Wesley's family was not home, but their dog was trapped inside the garage. Holden and his father got the dog out safely.

"Oh, the house is on fire. Everyone comes out. Me and him run, and I knew there's a dog in my friend's house, right there," Holden told WSOC-TV.

Firefighters responded just after 7 p.m. The blaze spread from the garage roof and second floor of one home to an adjacent house, WCNC reported. Both homes sustained fire, smoke and water damage. The Huntersville Fire Department said six residents and three pets from the two families were displaced.

According to the GoFundMe campaign page, one household is a married couple expecting a baby, with two dogs. The other is a married couple with two boys and a dog. Both families left with only the clothes on their backs and have been staying with relatives and in an Airbnb.

After seeing the damage, Holden asked his mother to help him set up a fundraiser. Makayla Nardone, Holden's mother, organized the GoFundMe campaign to cover food and living costs while the families are displaced. The campaign had raised more than $3,100 from 34 donors, according to the campaign page.

Holden told WSOC-TV he and Wesley have been friends since the Nardone family moved to the neighborhood about eight years ago. A back alley separates their houses. The boys play football together regularly.

The Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire's origin and cause, WSOC-TV reported.

Residents who want to help can visit the GoFundMe page titled "Help a Huntersville Family Recover After a House Fire." The campaign lists Josh Kurtz as the beneficiary.

Upcoming community events

  • Strange Charlotte Fringe Festival — Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216 Westmoreland Rd., Cornelius. Shows run through Saturday, Oct. 24.
  • McGuire Nuclear Station trunk-or-treat — Thursday, Oct. 29. Duke Energy's first community trunk-or-treat at the Huntersville-area plant.