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Local bakery organizes raffle for family of 12-year-old who died in Norristown fire

Published  March 26, 2016 7:41pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

COLLEGEVILLE (WTXF) - It will be a tough holiday for one local family.

This will be their first Easter without "Man Man."

The 12-year-old died trying to save his dad from a fire in Norristown last month.

But while they were grieving, a glimmer of hope came Saturday and a reminder that sometimes, even strangers can reach out and help ease a family's pain.

The Collegeville Italian Bakery is bustling with Easter holiday traffic.

And in the spirit of the holiday - towering above all - sits this: a 20-lb chocolate Easter egg imported from Italy.

As large as it is, it represents a cause even bigger. The egg is part of an annual raffle and this year the money raised goes to Julia Harling's family - in honor of her grandson Sanford Harling III - he was hailed a hero last month.

"He was a friendly boy you know a loving boy," Julia said.

The 12-year-old boy nicknamed "Man Man" died in a house fire in Norristown after police say he ran back inside the burning home to try to save his father's life. Man Man's father was able to make it out of the home alive but he's still in the hospital recovering.

Harling says the support really helps. The Collegeville Bakery doesn't have personal ties to the Harling's but the husband and wife co-owners both grew up in Norristown and say the story really touched them.

"A 12-year-old boy, you know we have a 10-year-old at home it really struck a chord with us," Patricia Carcarey said.

"The courage really got to us where most 12-year-old boys would cry next to a relative and this boy had enough courage to go back and save his father," Steve Carcarey said.

In the last month the bakery sold roughly 1,000 raffle tickets - Barbara Ayling says she bought one.

"I just find it really important that everyone just give a little, every little bit helps."

The fundraiser brought in about 1200 dollars which will help cover living and medical expenses for a family that lost everything. Grandmother Julia was at the bakery for the raffle drawing.