08/21/2026
There are moments in life when you realize just how quickly everything can change.
Monday evening was one of those moments for us.
Our Elwood office and shop caught fire, leaving the building a total loss.
The building represented years of hard work, long days, memories, growth, and something we were incredibly proud to build. It was where this all started. Losing it is heartbreaking. There is a lot to process, and right now, we are allowing ourselves to feel that loss.
Before anything else, we want to recognize Nathan Klaus and Billy McCabe. Billy discovered the fire, called 911 and stayed with the building until help arrived and Nathan assisted the fire department directly when he arrived on scene. In a moment that could have been incredibly overwhelming, they stepped up, stayed and made sure help was on the way. We are beyond grateful for them and what they did that night.
We are also so thankful for the volunteer firefighters who responded and worked tirelessly to fight the fire, along with the St. Joseph Fire Department for their response and support. We are grateful to the Air Guard and Midway for reaching out and offering their help during such a difficult time.
And to our employees, thank you. Thank you for the calls, the check-ins, the willingness to help, and for continuing to show up for one another. Watching everyone come together has been one of the brightest things in an otherwise dark situation.
While the loss is still fresh, we know that a building is not what makes a company, people do.
We don't know exactly what the road ahead looks like yet, but we know we'll take it one day at a time, pick up the pieces, and keep moving forward.
Dunning Express/DFI is nothing if not resilient. We are still here, and so grateful for that.
