Rachael Ray shared the first videos showing the aftermath of her house fire on Instagram, promising to provide further detail in the season premiere of her daytime talk show on Monday. Ray, her husband John Cusimano, and their dog Bella safely escaped the Lake Luzerne, New York home when it caught on fire on Aug. 9. In one video, Ray took viewers on a tour of the destroyed home, showing off where their bedroom and library once stood.
Ray first shared a brief video on Friday, telling fans she and Cusimano watched the house burn down in just an hour. "It's blood curdling, chilling from head to toe," she said. Ray interviewed the fire investigator and will include an interview with comedian Denis Leary, whose firefighter foundation helped Ray "prepare for the worst."
Rachael Ray ShowOn Monday 9/14 — Rachael shares never-seen-before personal footage of the damage done to her home after a fire broke out last month. You don't want to miss this emotional episode. Check your local listings > http://rach.tv/watch
On Sunday, Ray shared another preview for the season premiere, including scenes of the destroyed bedroom and library. "On Monday 9/14 — Rachael shares never-seen-before personal footage of the damage done to her home after a fire broke out last month. You don't want to miss this emotional episode," the caption reads.
Fans left hundreds of supportive messages for Ray in the comments section. "I'm so sorry for you but thank God everyone is good," one person wrote. "So sorry fires [are] horrible and ugh! May you be able to repair and come out stronger," another wrote. Another added, "Was so sorry to see the fire happen to you both. Sending lots of hugs."
"On August 9th, my house burned," Ray wrote in a statement she shared Saturday. "15 years of memories; 40 years of notebooks, drawings, thoughts, my life's work... In the years that I lived here, I learned an awful lot. In the few weeks since it burned, I think I've learned even more. Today, we're going to share what's left of our home."
Ray had been using her Upstate New York home to film episodes of Rachael Ray during the coronavirus pandemic. The house reportedly caught on fire at about 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 9 and firefighters were at the scene for several hours. No one was injured.
On Aug. 10, Ray took to Twitter to thank the first responders for their help and saving what they could. "Grateful that my mom, my husband, my dog… we’re all okay. These are the days we all have to be grateful for what we have, not what we’ve lost," Ray wrote. "I *did* lose my phone (posting through a team member) Thank you for all the well wishes, concern and outreach, but can’t return texts and calls at the moment…!"