Help Gabi and Her Children Rebuild After a Devastating House Fire

Last night, our family experienced the unimaginable.

My sister, Gabi, and her children narrowly escaped a devastating house fire that destroyed their home and took virtually everything they owned. While we are beyond grateful they made it out alive, they now face the overwhelming reality of starting over from nothing.

Some of you know this has already been an incredibly difficult season for our family. In December, we lost our beloved father after a grueling battle with cancer. We are still trying to navigate that grief and learn how to exist with the heartbreak of not having him here. To now be facing another devastating tragedy feels almost impossible to comprehend.

By the grace of God, Gabi woke up in the middle of the night.

Anyone who knows her knows she sleeps like a rock. She had gone to bed with an ice mask because of a headache when she suddenly heard a strange crackling sound. When she looked out her bedroom window, she saw bright orange and red flames. The entire wraparound porch outside her room was engulfed in fire.

I can't help but believe our dad was watching over them last night.

Since losing him, we've held onto the belief that he is still with us in the moments that matter most. The fact that Gabi got up at exactly the right moment feels nothing short of a miracle. Maybe it was God. Maybe it was Dad. Maybe it was both. All I know is that because she woke up when she did, she was able to save her children, and for that I will thank God and my father every single day.

What happened next was every parent's worst nightmare…

Gabi immediately sprang into action, getting the boys up while trying to get upstairs to reach Ryleigh. By that point, the upstairs was already filled with thick smoke. By the grace of God, Ryleigh made it downstairs safely. When they realized they couldn't get out through the front door, Gabi directed everyone to the basement and out through the basement door.

As terrifying as it is to think about now, there was a very real possibility they might not have made it out.

But they did.

Everyone inside the home made it out safely.

For that alone, we are endlessly thankful.

Everything else was lost in the fire.

Their home. Their beds. Their clothes. Their shoes. Their phones. Toiletries. Kitchen supplies. School belongings. Family keepsakes. The everyday necessities most of us take for granted. In a matter of hours, everything they had built inside that home was gone.

They escaped barefoot, with only the pajamas they were wearing.

As heartbreaking as this loss is, we know they won't face it alone. We have faith that with the love of family, friends, and this incredible community, they will find their footing again. Right now, they need help meeting their immediate needs and taking the first steps forward after losing everything.

✨ If you feel called to help, any donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward helping Gabi and the kids replace essential items, secure housing, purchase clothing and necessities, and begin rebuilding their lives. ✨

Thank you for your prayers, your generosity, your shares, and your love during this incredibly difficult time.

Most of all, thank you, God, for waking Gabi up in time.

And Daddy, I know you were watching over them, too.

The truth is, their home cannot be replaced. It's gone. The memories inside those walls, the keepsakes, the photographs, and the pieces of their lives collected over the years, many of those things are gone forever.

But last night could have ended very differently.

A mother made it out.

Her children made it out.

And because of that, there is still hope.

While the fire took their home, it did not take the people she loves most.

For that, we are infinitely grateful.

❤️ Every donation helps. Every share matters. Every prayer is appreciated.

With Endless Gratitude,

Ash