GENOA -- A community in eastern Nebraska is showing the strength of a small town. 
 
 The Leal family woke up early Wednesday morning in the most terrifying way: a fire had begun to spread throughout their home. The Genoa Rescue Squad showed up to the scene not knowing how serious it would be.
 
First responder Shanna Tworek was one of the first on the scene.
 
"It's hard to see in the dark," she said, describing the difficulties of assessing the scene at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. She tended to the Leal family, while firefighters quenched the flames. 
 
The house was a total loss.
 
But the strength of Genoa was not. 
 
Fire Captain Darren Nelson said that within just a couple of hours, EMT Katie Swantek had organized a drive to support the family. They've received donations from Omaha, O'Neill, and further. However, there's still a lot more the family needs. 
 
While the Leal family is safe and staying at a hotel in Columbus, they still need to work out the details of their living arrangements. Meanwhile, the Genoa Rescue Squad will be collecting both item donations (food, clothes, furniture at the station) and monetary donations (at the Genoa Community Bank). 
 
City Council President and friend of the family Josh Elm said it's already been a tough year for the Leals. However, he and other donors shared hope that the strength of the community will help the family through this. 
 
"There's days you hate being in a small town, and then there's moments like this that completely change everything and you realize this is why you stay," Swantek said. 
 
She hopes the squad can help the family furnish their new home when they eventually are able to move.
 
For now, the family is still processing the loss.