Published Jun 09, 2025 • 4 minute readAlthough they lost almost everything they had to a fire, Alex Whalen, left, and his wife Rylee are thankful for the support and donations from the community. Photo by Kristin Gardiner /Journal PioneerSUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — It was 3 a.m. when Rylee Whalen woke to her dog barking and a stranger pounding on her window.“I looked out the window, and all I could see was his flashlight and red and blue lights,” she said. “So, my mind went to, OK, something’s happening.”A fire didn’t cross her mind, but it’s what she saw when she walked to the living room — flames coming down from the ceiling and blocking their front door. Floorboards jammed the other. The stranger was a police officer trying to alert them of the danger.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentShe screamed for her husband, Alex, and he wasted no time jumping up.“When I first heard her scream, I thought it was an intruder or something,” said Alex. “I didn’t think fire. So, I popped up ready to fight, really.”Read More Police help family, including one-year-old child, escape Summerside house fire unharmed P.E.I. musician loses instruments, business and in search of cat after fire destroyed New London home By then, the officer had moved to banging the back door, shouting for them to get out. But the door, said Rylee, “just wouldn’t budge.” Fortunately for them, the officer was able to get it open. Once again, he told them to get out of the house, but the couple refused to leave without their son.“Before I was even done with that sentence, the police officer had jumped in the house, was ready to spring into action,” said Rylee. “He followed Alex to our son’s room and grabbed him out of the crib.”Article content At 3 a.m. on June 3, Rylee and Alex Whalen awoke to their Linkletter Estates house on fire. The house was completely destroyed, and the couple is staying with Rylee’s mother in the aftermath. A friend is looking after their two pets, a cat named Fraser and a dog named Hank, whose barking woke Alex up in time to get out. ContributedHank, their dog, followed them out of the house, and a firefighter rescued the cat, Fraser.“If he had even been five minutes later knocking down that door,” said Rylee. “I don’t know what the outcome would’ve been. But I don’t want to think about it.”Home destroyedFor the last year and a half, the Whalens have lived at Linkletter Estates in Summerside with their pets and newborn son, Austin. All it took was 20 minutes for that life to change forever; the fire destroyed one end of their home, and the remainder sustained heavy smoke damage.“We’re very lucky they got there when they did,” said Rylee.Once everyone was safely out, Rylee called her mother. The Whalens spent their early hours on the sidewalk, watching the Summerside fire department extinguish the blaze until 5:30 in the morning. They didn’t sleep a wink.“We got out with the clothes on our back,” said Alex. “I didn’t have very many.”Article contentParamedics checked them out, but they were not injured. After a June 3 fire destroyed their home, Summerside couple, Alex and Rylee Whalen, are thankful they, their son and their pets made it out unharmed. Photo by Kristin Gardiner /Journal PioneerSummerside Police Services reported police arrived first to find the property engulfed in flames at 3 a.m. on June 3.With the front door inaccessible and residents unable to open the side door, the police were able to force the side door open and get the occupants out safely. Officers quickly learned a one-year-old child was still inside and went back in to get them. They found him in a crib in a bedroom and returned him safely to his father.The Summerside fire department then arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire.Paramedics with Island EMS examined the Whalens and emergency personnel for injuries. The police officer who entered the residence as well as one firefighter were taken to the hospital for minor injuries and smoke inhalation and were later released.The fire remains under investigation.Article contentSentimental lossesWhile they get back on their feet, the family is staying with Rylee’s mother, and a friend is taking care of the pets.Once the fire was out, Alex recovered some clothes, his phone and wallet. Little else, they said, was salvageable, between the flames and smoke damage — including their two cars, though Rylee was hopeful hers could be repaired.As well, they’re expecting a second child and lost all their baby supplies. In the middle of the night on June 3, the Whalen family, Alex, left, Austin and Rylee awoke to their house on fire. ContributedBut it’s the sentimental losses that sting the most — Rylee’s wedding dress, a ring from her grandmother and a photo of Alex’s late father.“What really got me was, in the living room, we had a picture display with a couple of pictures of Austin when he was a newborn, as well as his handprint, his footprint, and his first lock of hair,” said Rylee.“Little things like that. Everything else is replaceable, it’s just a few sentimental things that we definitely aren’t going to be able to get back, but our lives are worth way more than that.”Article contentCommunity supportWhile the couple’s insurance will help pay for the mortgage, Rylee said they do need assistance replacing their belongings, especially items for their children.In the aftermath, they’ve received an outpouring of support and donations from individuals and businesses, including from Alex’s employer, Family and Friends Restaurant in Kensington.“We’ve gotten toys dropped off, we’ve gotten clothes dropped off, we still have to go Kids West – I think there’s cribs,” said Rylee. “Everything you could possibly imagine that we would need, people have been willing to come forward with those things. It’s been really great.” Almost everything Summerside residents Rylee and Alex Whalen owned, they lost in a June 3 house fire. ContributedSpeaking to the Journal Pioneer 36 hours after the fire, both Rylee and Alex said they were still processing the event.“It kind of hit us last night,” said Alex, the day after. “Tears came out. We’re just kind of looking at the next step … The amount of support we’ve gotten from the entire Island is just amazing.”Article contentUltimately, though, they’re glad for all the support, including from the firefighter and police officer who helped them with their son and pets.“I felt so bad whenever they told me that there was a firefight and a police officer going in for smoke inhalation,” said Rylee.“We were hoping to find out their names so we could actually personally thank them … If he wouldn’t have been banging on our windows, or even if he banged on windows 10 minutes later, I don’t know what story we’d be telling today.”Kristin Gardiner is a reporter for the Journal Pioneer in Prince Edward Island. She can be reached at kgardiner@postmedia.com.Article content
Summerside family thankful for support after overnight fire destroys home
