SOUTH WALES, N.Y. (WKBW) — Patom Farm owner Tom Perrin lost his South Wales dairy barn and more than 50 cows in a fire on Friday, but his neighbors have rushed to his aid with roughly $100,000 in donations.
Days later, Perrin is still cleaning up what’s left of his barn, which housed 46 cows and six calves.
"[Firefighters] got 22 [cows] out, but there’s only five left [alive]," Perrin said.
Tom tells me he was out getting radiation treatment for his prostate cancer when the fire started at the farm that has been in his family since 1949.
The flames destroyed the milking barn and killed roughly 50 cows, at least 15 of which died from smoke-related injuries after they were taken out of the barn by first responders.
"It’s just a sad thing that they went like they did," Perrin said.
However, if any of that makes you feel bad for Tom, he tells me you’ve got the wrong idea.
"Personally, I think they’re crazy, because I think it’s my problem, not the community’s problem," Perrin said. "You have to look at the positive. I have four healthy kids, 11 healthy grandkids and a healthy great-grandson, so do I have anything to complain about? I don’t think so. When you’ve got people who have sick children, cancer and children that die, this is a minor inconvenience."
Still, one person wouldn’t take no for an answer, his grandson Jacob Vergien, who started a GoFundMe that is making its rounds through the community, raising roughly $100,000.
"It wasn’t like we wanted a bunch of money. It was like let’s start it, and anything helps," Vergien said.
WATCH: 'Will not be wasted': Community raises roughly $100k for South Wales farm destroyed by fire
Q: “What would you say to all the people who did help out?”
Perrin: “Besides, they’re crazy, thank you very very much. It will not be wasted foolishly, I can tell you that.”
Vergien: “All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart and my family’s heart.”
At 74 years old, Perrin thinks this just might be a sign.
"Many people have been trying to get me to slow down and retire, and I wasn’t listening to them, but somebody with a little more power said if you don’t listen to them, you’re gonna listen to me," Perrin said.
Perrin’s family will raise the surviving cows, but as for the milking barn off Centerline Road, Perrin feels that part of the business is now in the past.
"It’s not going to be rebuilt. I’m 74, I can’t work 10 hours a day anymore," Perrin said.
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