Colby Family Continues to Rebuild After House Fire

Tuesday, July 15th, 2025 -- 10:01 AM

(Madison Maronde and Tom Zurawski, WSAW) In April, the Kunze family’s life changed forever.

They welcomed their baby boy to the world more than six weeks early, according Madison Maronde and Tom Zurawski with WSAW. “Having him early, we were full of emotions, overjoyed, nervous and once he was a preemie, I think we were scared of what would happen,” mom Trinity Kunze said.

Baby Kunze called the NICU home for more than a month. Only 11 days later, another life-changing moment. After visiting family, a quick stop at their home near Colby to get clothes to head back to the hospital was interrupted by a house fire.

“The window here was our nursery, so it started in the entryway,” Trinity said. “I got up and I see smoke coming out of the side. I was like, ‘Oh!’ So then I opened it and I yelled ‘fire.’”

The newlyweds, with a baby in the hospital, could only watch as their new home burned as firefighters worked to save anything they could. “And I looked at him [firefighter] and I said, ‘I’m gonna be that mom, I have breast milk in the fridge, can you please try to get it because he’s in the NICU.’"

"So then two firefighters came walking around the side of the house carrying it like it was liquid gold. So, definitely cried in that moment cause I thought it was gone,” Trinity said.

Fast forward three months to July 11, Trinity, Matt and baby Kunze are living with family. Meanwhile, the Colby community has stepped up beyond their wildest dreams.

“I have about six baby swings and bouncers,” Trinity said. “I mean, the community came together and helped us out, which, I don’t know how to ever repay anyone.”

While they work to rebuild the material things in their life, the family is together, happy, healthy. “He’s doing amazing,” Trinity said. “He’s a chunky little boy sleeping, but he’s doing a lot better now being home and growing without having all the nurses and getting to be himself.”

The Kunze family plans to build a new home on the same lot, starting this summer. They hope to move in by the end of the year.

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