Naples day care owner hoping to reopen after fire

May 31--When Liri Basha smelled something burning last week at her Naples home and day care, she sent her 19-year-old son around back to investigate. He yelled from the back of the house that there was smoke rising from the roof.

"I didn't even go to check," Basha said. "I just went to the kids."

Basha and her family were able to get all 13 children out of the day care safely, but her house at 3550 10th St. N. was badly damaged by the time Naples firefighters were able to put it out. She and her family have since moved into a hotel while they look for a home to rent.

"It's sad when you see a house like that, but the kids are more important," Basha said this week.

Since the fire, Basha is staying afloat by watching four of the children at the home of one of the child's parents. The eight or so of her other clients have had to find other day cares or have relatives watch their children as a temporary fix.

The parents are crossing their fingers for good news from Basha's insurance company, which they hope will cover most of the cost of restoring the home and business. Because the day care was licensed for one address, Basha said she can't immediately reopen in another location.

In the meantime, Katie McKimm, whose 8-month-old son attends Basha's day care, is raising money for Basha to replace toys, cribs, equipment, lost wages and other expenses for her displaced family. The fundraiser's website is tinyurl.com/BashaDaycare.

"I want everybody to be able to go back to her -- that's her whole source of income for her and her family. Her whole life is in that house, and her whole business is in that house," McKimm said. "We're hopeful that insurance will cover a lot, but there is just so much stuff -- the toys are all smoky -- that needs to be bought."

Friends referred McKimm to Basha's day care and she said she got on the waiting list early on in her pregnancy. McKimm said she likes that Basha is so interactive with the children and gives them a generous amount of outdoor time.

"She is just the most incredible person in the world and she's great with the kids," McKimm said. "She communicates with the parents a lot, sending them pictures and stuff like that, and I just feel like it's a home instead of a company."

Basha said she expects to hear this week from the insurance company about what the next step is.

"It'll be a little tough, but I'm going to make it," Basha said. "I'm a pretty strong woman, I don't like things to put me down."

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