Where to donate

What: Cahalane Fire Fund

Where: Andover Federal Credit Union, 19C Lupine Road, Andover, MA 01810

LAWRENCE — George "Russ" Cahalane, 68, stood outside his boarded up home yesterday surrounded by family and friends, and shed tears for a wife and son who perished in a fire there the day before.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," said Cahalane. "I lost two very special people."

His wife of 29 years, Linda Cahalane, made the ultimate sacrifice when she ran back inside their burning home early Monday morning in an attempt to rescue Sean, who was trapped inside a second-floor bedroom.

Sean, 20, who was developmentally disabled, and his mother, 51, were found together on the bedroom floor by firefighters.

Minutes before midnight on Sunday, a baseboard heater short-circuited, causing a two-alarm fire in the raised ranch at 15 Leeds Terrace. The fire caused water and smoke damage in the kitchen, living room and dining room area.

Yesterday, the Cahalanes' daughter, Meaghan LaDuke, flew from North Carolina. She and other family members went to the house looking for anything they could salvage. LaDuke was happy to get her hands on her parents' wedding album and other family photos.

"I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize it was this bad," said LaDuke about the condition of the house.

LaDuke mustered the courage to go by Sean's bedroom. She cried when she saw the imprint on the rug where her mother and brother laid.

"It takes a strong person to risk her life to save someone else," she said. "That was my mother. She was all about family, friends and animals."

The Cahalanes had two dogs, an American Eskimo named Mica and a chihuahua named Toby, which also died in the fire.

They also had two cats, Athena and Midnight, not seen since the fire.

The Cahalanes had two children from their marriage and seven other children from previous marriages.

At their home yesterday, the American flag flew at half-staff and a bouquet of flowers rested on the steps. Several stuffed animals lay nearby.

George Cahalane, a retired police/fire dispatcher for Andover, recounted the tragic morning, wiping tears from his eyes already red from crying and between heavy sighs and sobs.

He said he was working in his home office while his wife and son were asleep. He said he heard a loud noise shortly before midnight Sunday and ran to the hallway to check it, when he saw smoke.

He and his wife ran out of the house, then realized Sean, who graduated from Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School last year, was still inside.

While his wife was knocking on doors to alert neighbors about the fire, Cahalane said he was trying to coax Sean to jump out his bedroom window. At 6 feet, 3 inches tall, Cahalane said Sean could have jumped about 15 feet without getting seriously hurt.

"I told him it was better than something worse," Cahalane recalled. Sean disappeared from his view, and Cahalane said he might have had a seizure.

As he turned around to look for his wife, he realized she had run inside to get Sean.

"I ran to the stairs," Cahalane said, pointing. "I stood at the front door because it was too much smoke. I yelled, 'Honey, Are you in there? Answer me.'" Linda answered several times, then stopped.

"My heart sunk," he said about the silence.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Cahalane kept repeating, shaking his head.

Cahalane was taken to Lawrence General Hospital for observation and released yesterday afternoon.

His wife and son were pronounced dead there.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," he said.

He is staying with a neighbor and being comforted by family members.

Meanwhile, former coworkers at Andover police/fire dispatch have set up a fund to help.

"This is a small way to let him know we care," said Bill Bruner.

Family members spent several hours outside the house yesterday sharing stories about Linda and Sean.

Linda (Custeau) Cahalane was a native of Lawrence and graduated from Lawrence High School. Her sister, Sue Dalton of Haverhill, remembered a time when Linda gave her coat off her back to her sister's coworker who had come from California and lost her luggage with her winter clothing.

Linda Cahalane was the fifth of seven children. She worked at Sage Labs in Hudson, N.H., as a wire bonder.

The conversation soon turned to Sean, and how his son wanted to imitate everything his father did.

In addition to being a dispatcher for the Andover Fire Department, the older Cahalane was a disc jockey for 45 years. He had an extensive Irish record collection. Sean memorized many of the lyrics and often sang along.

Cahalane said his son was very proud of his Irish roots and called his dad "Da," which he said was Irish for father.

Sean never missed a St. Patrick's Day parade, standing with his father across from St. Patrick Church to get a good view of marchers.

Sean was baptized on St. Patrick's Day while the St. Patrick Day parade marched by the church and "Danny Boy" was playing.

"I lost my leprechaun," Cahalane said of Sean with tears streaming down his face.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete yesterday.