
Help the Tate Family Rebuild After Fire
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Please Help My Family After a Devastating Fire.
Early morning on the 17th around 2:00 - 3:00am, my mom (Tammy Tate), my dad (Jasper Tate), and my little brother and sister (Aj and Alisha Tate), woke up to one of the worst nights of their lives and rushed to get out of their burning home. My dad was the first to wake up to the flames in the living room and yelled fire to my mom and rushed to yell the same to my siblings, pulling my younger sister Alisha through the living room out the door because she could not see for all the smoke, as my younger brother opened his bedroom door to try and get out, the hallway flooded with smoke and he was unable to see so he made the decision to go out his bedroom window. My dad suffered burns on his neck, shoulders, knees and feet, he is at Cabell Huntington Hospital being treated for his burns. As far as physical injuries go, Aj and Alisha managed to make it out with only some smoke inhalation. My mom was stuck in the house the longest as the flames and smoke grew too much for her to get out of the bedroom to the door. She was trapped in her room I assume trying to get a window open but failing to do so, luckily my younger brother who was outside with my younger sister and dad, asked where mom was, and my dad said I don't know. Aj then ran and knocked the air conditioning unit out of her bedroom window and pulled our mom out. Our mom is at Cabell Huntington, she suffered severe smoke inhalation and is on a ventilator. As well she is being treated for the burns that cover her hands forearms and other areas. She is fighting hard to get better and get started on trying to get their lives back to normal. They all have lost everything, except their lives thankfully.
My mom's eldest daughter (Jalisa) made her way here from Michigan as soon as she could after she got the call from me about this horrible incident. As she found it hard to get some sleep last night, she decided to do some writing, which I'm going to share with you now.
-Dear friends, family and compassionate souls,
Last night, my family's life was changed by a devastating house fire. It's a nightmare I can hardly put into words. Everything they had, every memory, cherished possessions, was taken in an instant.
My mom is one of the most beautiful souls you could ever meet. Shes not just my mom; she is a light in the lives of so many. As the store manager at her local Dollar General, she is the smiling face that greets you, the kind words that brighten your day, the helping hand when you need it most. Now, she is the one who needs help. The most heartbreaking part of it all is seeing my mom lying in a hospital bed, fighting to get better so she may get back to where she belongs as the matriarch of her family, in the burn unit. She inhaled so much smoke while trying to escape the fire that she's on a ventilator. burns cover her hands, forearms and other areas, injuries she sustained while trying to escape to get to her family. I've never felt more helpless than I do now, sitting by her bedside, praying she'll get better as soon as possible and give me that warm reassuring smile I've always counted on.
My step-dad, who has fought so hard to overcome the demons of his past, is now facing the unimaginable: picking up the pieces of their lives. He is a good man who loves my mom and siblings fiercely, and I know he is doing everything he can to hold it together for all of us.
My siblings, both students at Magoffin County Highschool, are still in shock. They've lost not only their home but their sense of safety. As teenagers they shouldn't have to face something so terrifying. But they are so strong, just like our mom.
The fire took everything, but it didn't take our love for one another. My family is resilient, not just as their daughter, but as someone who is terrified for what comes next. We need help to rebuild their lives, to give them a roof over their heads again, clothes on their backs, and hope in their hearts.
Every single dollar counts. Every prayer matters. Your support will go toward medical bills, housing, clothing, school supplies, and the countless other things they will need to start over. More than anything it will give my family the strength to keep going, knowing they're not alone in this fight.
My mom has always taught me that family isn't who you're born to; it's the people who stand by you in your darkest moments, we are asking you to be part of that family now. Let's remind them that they don't have to face this alone. Please if you can, help. Donate, share, pray, whatever you're able to do. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for caring. Thank you for being the light in our lives during this storm.
With love and gratitude, Jalisa Harder
Organizer
Bethany Tate
Organizer
Bradley, KY