‘Sweetest little angel’: Family mourns loss of 3-year-old in Munster fire, thanks community

MUNSTER, Ind. — A Northwest Indiana family is mourning the loss of a 3-year-old boy following a tragic fire where the father ran back in multiple times in an effort to save him.

Munster firefighters responded to the 900 block of Cornwallis Lane around 11:15 a.m. Monday on the report of a house fire.

While the three other children of Trevor Lee and Stephanie Slawinski were at school at the time of the fire — 3-year-old Mack “Macky” Lee was inside with his parents.

Trevor was pulled out of a fire and then realized Mack was still inside. He ran back in multiple times to try to save his son. Tragically, Mack was found dead inside the home.

“He was a ray of sunshine,” cousin Stacey Mayerchik said. “The sweetest little angel you could ever meet. He loved everyone and everything.”

Trevor collapsed after going back into the home multiple times and remains in critical condition at the hospital. Stephanie is still hospitalized as well in fair condition.

Mayerchik told WGN News she has spoken with Stephanie and she’s “beyond grateful for the outpouring of support.”

“She didn’t know what to say but ‘oh my god, wow,'” Mayerchik said. “We are going to do something in his name.”

Over $100,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe. A meal train was also started to help the family. The entire home was a total loss besides the garage.

“I’ve never seen a community come together off a single tragedy like this,” Mayerchik said. “Looking at Indiana and Illinois, like in this day-and-age to see that support — it’s just shocking it’s our family affected.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation as of Wednesday.

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