First off I apologize for the awful photos!

My mom took off work today with the intention of spending the day with Charlie Lout (my Dad), who has stage 4 colon cancer and is currently in hospice with not much time left. She was going to wait out the thunderstorm before driving to Lufkin. Next thing me and Mom hear the loudest ka-boom ever. As our house filled with smoke, we began to realize that lightning hit our home.

The fire department came and was able to put it out. Everyone is ok. All the animals are ok. Our things are smoky and waterlogged, and the house is not livable in its current state.

I'm very thankful for family helping us get a place to stay tonight and temporarily while we figure out what to do.

I'm very thankful for the Nacogdoches Fire Department who worked quickly, efficiently, and compassionately.

It has been the most surreal day.

The current situation is awful and I hate this for me and my brothers and my mom. We are so stressed and in a very difficult mental state and this situation did not help us at all.