- Canyons School District teacher, Karen Fitch, lost her home in a fire on Wednesday.
- Community support has been pouring in, with students sending cards and colleagues raising funds.
- Fitch, a beloved educator, has found comfort in the love and support shown by many, similar to what she did in her career.
SANDY — A longtime Canyons School District teacher is facing one of the most difficult moments of her life after her home burned down on Wednesday.
But in the middle of the devastation, she has found herself surrounded by the very love she spent nearly four decades giving to others.
Karen Fitch, who retired after 39 years in the classroom, but still volunteers and substitutes, was working at Granite Elementary when she got the call no homeowner ever wants to receive.
"I got a call, the kids were coming in from lunch," she recalled. "You gotta get home, your house is on fire."
Word spread quickly through the school that Mrs. Fitch's home was burning. As firefighters worked to contain the flames, students and staff did what they know best: They put their hearts on paper.
Soon, dozens of handwritten cards filled with encouragement, drawings, and childlike humor began pouring in.
One student wrote, 'I think you should leave your house burning to the ground behind you and have a fresh start,' followed by laughter that Fitch says lifted her spirits more than the child could know.
Another card read, 'Sorry that your house was on fire, but let's forget it.'
As Fitch sat in Lisa Hekking's kitchen reading the notes, the room felt warm despite the circumstances. Hekking and her two grown daughters are all teachers with Fitch. Fitch taught those daughters back when they were in elementary.
"Is that one from Sam?" she asked, smiling as she sifted through the stack.
Her colleagues, many of whom have taught alongside her for years, say this moment has given them a chance to return the kindness she has shown to thousands of children.
"Karen is the most giving person on this planet," said fellow teacher Taylor Hekking-Schwalbe.
"Everyone's coming back to show her the love that she has shown for so many years," said Tiffany Smith.
Fitch's home is currently unlivable, and the loss is still sinking in.
"It's overwhelming, and it's hard to process," Fitch said. "To have everybody just rally around me, it's fantastic. I feel so much love and support and everything."
For now, Fitch and her family are staying with Hekking. Another friend is caring for her three dogs until they can secure a rental home. Friends and colleagues have also started raising money to help bridge the gap until insurance assistance arrives.
Hekking-Schwalbe, now a teacher herself, reflected on Fitch's legacy. "I watched her be a teacher at the school, then I grew up to be a teacher at the same school."
It's a full‑circle moment that underscores just how deeply Fitch has shaped her community, and how ready that community is to lift her up in return.
There is a verified *GoFundMe account.
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Correction: An earlier version incorrectly reported that Granite Elementary was in the Granite School District, it is in the Canyons School District.
