Yesterday, my father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ernie and Roxy Henderson, lost everything when their family home burned down. This wasn’t just any house—it was a home built on land that has been in the Henderson family for generations, on a road that carries our family name. I have come to love this family deeply, and I am proud & honored to be a Henderson.

When I married into this family (I’m Ernest Henderson III’s wife, Lyssa- little Ernie, to many of you), I knew I was in love with my husband & that he had a big family. What I didn’t know, was how much I was going to grow to love his family.

Anyone who knows Big Ernie & Roxy, know that they are lights in their own right. They are fun, they like to live life, they have big hearts & they love fiercely. They both have lived a lot of life and been through a lot of things, but they are from a generation that gained their grit in the womb. You can’t keep them down. They put on a tough outer exterior because they have had times in life where they had to be tough.

This is a time when I don’t want them to have to toughen up or to have to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. I want to help lift them up. I want to help carry this burden because they don’t deserve to have to carry this on their own.

When I got the phone call that their home had burned down, I felt my heart hit my stomach. It was an accidental fire, electrical in nature, and in an instant- it took everything.

They lost all of their clothes, furniture, appliances, keepsakes, items they have worked so so hard for. They have worked more than a quarter of a century for what they had & in a few minutes, it literally went up in smoke. All the family pictures, gone. All the papers their kids made in school, diplomas, handmade gifts, anniversary presents, travel keepsakes…..all gone.

All the things that are “just things” - while replaceable, they are still items that represent the blood, sweat and tears of a life well built and well lived. While those things can be replaced the love, memories & life lived in that home, cannot be.

Sebastian and Lizzie- their two dogs that were tragically lost in the fire- cannot be replaced either. They loved those dogs, had them for over a decade and they were a part of our family. Words cannot explain the heartache of loosing a fur baby in this manner. It’s the most painful devastation topping the mountain of devastation they are facing right now.

As many of you know, Mr. Ernie worked offshore for many years. That’s hard work and it’s equally as hard to be an oilfield wife- but Mr. Ernie & Roxy both persevered, did what they had to do for each other and their families & never complained. Mr. Ernie retired from the oilfield & after spending some time together, Roxy decided to go to work to help their household, that now had only Mr. Ernie’s retirement for an income. She went to work for Home Depot and has gained a work family that she loves dearly.

They are well known in our community, they are well known in their respective work fields & they are well known by so many others because of the caliber of people, that they are.

They give freely, they help even when they don’t have it themselves and they do their best to live and love as God commands them. They are good Christians, proud Americans, good parents, amazing grand parents & just downright good people.

They are my family and I am praying that this letter, their story, will reach as many people as possible. If I can get their story in front of 150,000 people and each person donates a dollar- they will be able to rebuild and at the very least have a home to live in and the things they need to enjoy the last many chapters of their life. They’ve paid their dues in life, worked more than they should have had to, endured and stayed bright and loving through it all.

If I had the capability of building them a new home with my own two hands and filling it with the things they need to live and be comfortable and make memories with their family and grandbabies especially - I would, without a second thought- that’s how much they mean to me. The thing is, I know that they mean just as much to a lot of people. Please help my husband and I help them rebuild.

I want to thank everyone in advance for every prayer, good thought, well wish and donation. Your support whether it’s simply sharing this fundraiser and getting the word out, or contributing financially- is greatly appreciated, more than you will ever know.

My husband and I are firm in our belief that God will turn even this for good & we believe that God will work through our amazing family, friends, community and even people we don’t know. Thank you, again, and may God bless each and every one of you that read this.

-The Henderson Family