At 1:20 a.m. on January 2, 2026, our world changed. We were woken up by our house on fire. We got out with only what we went to bed in. No shoes. No phones. Nothing else. We lost everything.

Our precious cat woke my wife and saved our lives. We are devastated that she did not make it, but we know God used her to wake us. We will always be grateful for her.

This has been incredibly hard on my wife. She lost everything from her graduation for her EdS in clinical mental health. She worked so hard and had just graduated in December. All of her school work, notes, and keepsakes are gone. Every picture of her children is gone. The bed that belonged to her great grandmother is gone. All of her jewelry is gone. My guns are gone. We lost every photo that cannot be replaced. I also lost the things my best friend gave me before he passed away two years ago.

The heat damaged my step daughter’s Jeep and it smoldered for three days. Smoke has filled the shop and even though it did not burn, many things inside are ruined.

This has been the most traumatic and painful experience we have ever lived through. But even in the middle of it, we are thankful to be alive. We are trusting God one day at a time.

We are also overwhelmed by the kindness people have shown us. Friends, family, neighbors, and even people we barely know have reached out, prayed for us, checked on us, and helped in ways we could never repay. We are deeply grateful. Your love and generosity are carrying us through.

Thank you for every prayer and every act of kindness. Please keep us in your prayers as we figure out where to go from here.