SAN ANTONIO — In the wake of a devastating house fire, Todd and Lee Marshall are left with little more than the clothes on their backs and the memories of their beloved home. The fire, which tore through their historic San Antonio residence on February 5, took nearly everything—but its greatest loss wasn’t the walls that crumbled or the possessions reduced to ash. It was Rosie, their 17-year-old rescue Chihuahua lost in fire, a tiny but mighty spirit who had spent her life as a survivor and a savior.
Rosie wasn’t just a pet; she was family. She had been through the worst life had to offer—found abandoned near dumpsters in downtown Los Angeles, starving and covered in infection—only to find a love that lasted nearly two decades with Todd and Lee. But even after all the suffering she endured before being rescued, it was Rosie who became the healer in their home, especially for Todd’s elderly mother, Linda, who battles dementia.
A Survivor’s Story
Rosie came to Todd and Lee nearly 17 years ago as a terrified, five-pound foster dog with a long history of neglect. Emaciated and riddled with infections, her small body bore the scars of a hard life—black fungal patches on her skin, ears damaged as if intentionally notched, and a crooked front leg that had healed incorrectly after a break. Even her snout had once been fractured, leaving her with what Todd lovingly described as “a rather aristocratic sneer.”
“She was so scared but so grateful to be inside, with a bed, food, and water,” Todd shared. The plan was to nurse Rosie back to health and find her a forever home. Instead, she found it right there with them. Within weeks, they officially made her part of the family. Rosie gained ten pounds, became best friends with their other adopted Chihuahua and three cats, and finally experienced what it meant to be safe.
Even as the years passed and age took its inevitable toll, Rosie remained a fighter. At 14, she was diagnosed with mammary cancer, undergoing surgery to remove eight tumors. Todd and Lee were warned the cancer might return, but Rosie wasn’t ready to stop living. She bounced back with the same unshakable spirit that had defined her from the start.
The Guardian Angel
When Todd took on the full-time care of his mother five years ago, Rosie once again proved that love and purpose had no bounds.
“She and my mom quickly bonded as the little old ladies in our house,” Todd said in an email to The Chi Society. “Rosie was an unofficial emotional support dog. Anytime my mom felt scared or anxious, Rosie would immediately jump into her lap and lick her hands until she calmed down. So in a sense, we saved Rosie’s life, and she saved my mother’s.”
It was a role Rosie carried with unwavering devotion—until the night the fire came.
The Night Everything Changed
On February 5, at around 9:15 PM, flames erupted in their home on E. Huisache Avenue. The fire spread rapidly through the two-story wooden house, leaving little time to react. Todd wasn’t home when it started, but Lee and his 77-year-old mother were.
Todd rushed home to find their house engulfed, and his only thought was getting his mother to safety. Linda, confused and frightened, had managed to escape her room but was lost in the smoke-filled house.
“I could hear my mother screaming,” Todd recalled. He fought his way inside, finding her in the living room. With visibility near zero, he pulled her out, struggling against the suffocating heat. But as the flames raged higher, returning for Rosie became impossible.
The fire destroyed everything. Their home was a total loss. But nothing compared to the heartbreak of losing Rosie.
At 17 years old, Rosie still had the energy of a dog half her age. “She was full of piss and vinegar but mostly love and devotion,” Todd said. “She was my mom’s shadow and is missed every moment of our existence as we struggle to get our feet back underneath us.”
Honoring Rosie’s Legacy
Todd and his family have been overwhelmed by the support from their community, especially the local theater groups that Todd has been a part of for years. Friends, coworkers, and strangers alike have reached out, offering help as they try to rebuild their lives. But the road ahead is long, and they are still in urgent need of support.
In time, Todd and Lee plan to foster again—continuing the work that brought Rosie into their lives so many years ago. “Fostering pets is one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives,” Todd said. “In time, we will again.”
But right now, they need help. A fundraiser has been set up to assist with their recovery, and every contribution helps them take one step closer to stability.
Rosie was a warrior, a survivor, a protector, and a best friend. Though she may no longer be physically by their side, her love remains woven into every piece of their story. And just like she once needed saving, now it’s time for the community to return the favor—for Todd, for Lee, for Linda, and in Rosie’s honor.
If you’d like to help Todd and his family rebuild their lives, you can contribute to their fundraiser on GoFundMe. Every donation, every share, every word of support makes a difference.
Rest in peace, Rosie Martens-Marshall. Your story doesn’t end here.
