Police officer father who lost his wife and two children in Boxing Day house fire pays heartbreaking tribute to ‘three of the greatest humans’

A police officer who lost his wife and two children in a fire at his home the day after Christmas paid tribute to his family as ‘the three greatest people who have graced our existence’.

Fionnghuala Shearman, known as Nu to her friends, died alongside her seven-year-old daughter Eve and four-year-old son Ohner as flames spread through their home on Brimscombe Hill, near Stroud.

The 38-year-old’s husband of nearly a decade, Tom, is a Gloucestershire police officer and survived the inferno.

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for Mr Shearman’s family has already raised more than £340,000.

In a tribute published by Gloucestershire Police today, he said: ‘For what seemed like an eternity I stared at my keyboard, waiting for the words to appear.

‘There is no way I can thank any of you for the incredible generosity of this world you have shown me in the darkest hours.

‘My life, the lives of my loved ones, my friends and the entire community changed the day after Christmas.

‘Most importantly and tragically, three of the greatest people to grace our existence were taken not just from me, but from all of us.’

A family photo of Mrs. Shearman with her two children

Emergency services were called to a ‘deep-rooted’ fire at a property on Brimscombe Hill, near Stroud, Gloucestershire, at around 3am on December 26.

Emergency services were called to a ‘deep-rooted’ fire that broke out in the house at around 3am last Friday.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said Mr Shearman tried to save his wife and two children but was driven back by the intensity of the flames.

He broke the bathroom window to enter the child’s room from the outside, but failed. The family’s dog also died in the fire.

Police believe the fire started on the ground floor and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause, but the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

The fire destroyed the roof, ceiling, and stairs, as well as causing other significant interior damage.

Mr Shearman’s eulogy continued: ‘I cannot describe the pain and trauma of the events following Christmas 2025.

‘The essence, the essence of my family was torn away in the most violent way.

‘While nothing can undo what has happened or make sense of the pain, I am humbled by what this page has done and is doing beyond comprehension.

‘My family and friends rallied around me and provided me with more than the basic needs. I have a roof over my head (and many offers), clothes on my back, food on my back; most importantly friendship and compassion. I will get better.

‘I’ve already started working on a plan that came to my mind just as I was falling off the edge of the cliff.

Tom is a police officer serving in Gloucestershire and has escaped from hell. The couple had been married for nearly ten years

Burnt roof timbers of house near Stroud – photo taken on 29 December

‘I will ensure that my incredibly talented, empathetic, compassionate and beautiful wife’s legacy of craft, design and life-giving continues.’

In the week since the tragic fire, more than 16,000 people have donated over £340,000 to help Mr Shearman get back on his feet after losing everything that day.

An anonymous donor donated £10,000 to the cause on GoFundMe, with it listed as the largest donation.

The fundraiser started just three days ago and organizer Victoria Armstrong said: ‘THANK YOU.

‘We’ve all learned that sometimes there are no words.

‘The loss to families, friends and our community is almost unbearable, but what Mr. Shearman has already experienced and now faces is unimaginable.’

Ms Armstrong said the money would be used for emergency accommodation, clothing, basic needs, time lost from work and ‘the many unexpected expenses that arise at a time like this’.

Miss Shearman, known as Nu to her friends, was born in Cheltenham and ran a successful business manufacturing canvas and leather bags.

Earlier this month he announced that his workshop would be closing in the near future.

Friends of the couple said they were ‘shocked’ by the tragedy

She was into knitting, and some of her friends in the community shared heartbreaking tributes to her and her children online.

‘We’ve lost the brightest lights,’ Carmen Schmidt, who runs a luxury woolen shop in Bath, said in an emotional post to her 26,000 Instagram followers.

“He was my best friend, and words cannot express the devastation those close to him are feeling right now,” Ms. Schmidt wrote.

‘It was a devastating house fire that affected Nu and her two children in the early hours of the morning. A tragic event with no earthly cause.

‘It goes without saying that this is incredibly difficult to navigate, especially in the public online space. I would like to crawl into a dark hole for a long time right now, but that’s not how we built our businesses and our lives. We built these things out loud for everyone to see and here I am.

‘For now, please go hug your loved ones and tell the people in your life how much they mean to you.

‘Nu was extremely good at it, she loved it big and tight and I’m so grateful to be in her orbit and I will miss her for a lifetime.’

Ms. Shearman also collaborated with knitting enthusiasts in America, whom she visited to sell her custom bags and accessories.