This special album didn't just come together overnight.
ESCANABA -- Losing everything in a fire can be hard to recover from. While some material possessions can be replaced, others, like photos, cannot.
Well, one young man in Escanaba was able to help one family make some new memories with a picture perfect gift.
It was a surprise she didn't see coming. Thursday afternoon, seventh grader, Catrina Vermote, was given a family photo album put together by her classmate, Colin Barnhart.
Back in December, Catrina and her family lost their home to a fire that destroyed three residences on Escanaba's south side. And since then, with the help of Catrina's relatives, Colin has been secretly gathering photos to help replace what was lost.
From pictures of Catrina's father, who passed away over a year ago, to photos of her family, to a necklace found among the ashes, the book is a priceless collection of memories.
"I didn't have anything from my dad left, only a shirt and that was it," said Catrina. "It means the world to me 'cause it has pictures of my dad and my family, all of it."
This album didn't just come together overnight. Colin has been preparing the album for the past several weeks, and Thursday, he was finally able to give the finished product to Catrina.
"The fire was a tragedy, but Catrina got through it with everybody pitching in and helping out, and it helped a lot," explained Colin. "I hope it just, like I said before, overjoys her and just surprises her and it just out of the blue so, kind of just lift her spirits."
Recently, the family found a new place in Hyde to call home. And while the album won't replace everything they lost in the fire, the family says it's definitely a step forward.
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