Sioux Falls Rallies Around Business Owner After Vehicle Fire
If there’s one thing Sioux Falls is known for, right up there with tons of road construction during the summer months, it's generosity. When someone needs help or is going through a difficult season in life, the people of the Sioux Empire never fail to show up in a big way.
Just ask Denae Matherly.
Matherly, the owner of The Good Stuff: Brewing Joy, recently experienced something no driver ever wants to see: her Chevy Tahoe going up in flames. And it didn’t happen out on some remote highway. It happened right here in town, during what should have been a routine stop.
According to Dakota News Now, Matherly had pulled into a Kwik Star to fuel up a generator she uses to power her coffee trailer. After finishing up and moving her vehicle forward, she noticed smoke starting to roll out from her Tahoe. Within moments, that smoke turned into flames.
Matherly told Dakota News Now, “I got out of the vehicle immediately, by that point there was already fire shooting out by the wheel well and out the front of the hood. I had a moment of shock where I was like, ‘What’s even happening here?’”
What happened next felt very Sioux Falls.
Complete strangers jumped into action. People nearby dropped what they were doing to help, trying to contain the fire until first responders arrived. Firefighters quickly took over, but despite everyone’s efforts, the Tahoe was ultimately a total loss.
Still, what stood out most wasn’t the destruction; it was the response.
From the quick-thinking Good Samaritans at the scene to the wave of support that followed, the Sioux Empire once again proved its reputation. Matherly says she was overwhelmed by the kindness shown to her during such a chaotic moment.
Thankfully, no one was hurt as a result of this scary situation; that’s what matters most.
Since the fire, the support hasn’t slowed down. Members of the community have continued to rally around Matherly, contributing to a GoFundMe page established to help her recover from the loss of her car, a vehicle she uses to pull her coffee trailer and keep her business running.
Stories like this are a reminder of what makes Sioux Falls special.
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If you’d like to show your support for Denae Matherly and help her get back on the road, you can donate to her GoFundMe page here.