A Montgomery County family counted their blessings as the New Year was ushered in following an early morning fire that destroyed their home New Year’s Eve morning.
The family of five, including three boys – ages 14, 9 and 5 – lost everything as a result of the blaze, which occurred in the 2800 block of Mississippi Highway 404 in Duck Hill.
Community members in both Montgomery and Grenada counties immediately began rallying together to assist the family with immediate as well as future needs.
“In an instant, the fire took everything – we lost our home, all our possessions, clothing, furniture, family photos, keepsakes and irreplaceable memories built over years,” the homeowner, BJ McKay, wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page. “We escaped safely and are now facing the overwhelming task of starting over from nothing. Thankfully, everyone made it out safely, but the emotional and financial toll is immense.”
His wife, Meggie, a speech language pathologist for the Grenada School District, took to social media New Year’s Day morning to express her thankfulness.
“Our lives are forever changed, but we are thankful,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “We have been overwhelmed by this tragedy, but also by the outpouring of love and support from the first responders, our community, church, family and friends. Above all, we thank God no one was hurt. In the middle of devastation, He protected us and that is a gift we will never take for granted.”
All three of the couple’s boys are enrolled in the Grenada School District.
Immediate needs include clothing. The family’s sizes are listed below:
Father: Underwear: men’s large boxer briefs, shirts: large or extra-large, jeans: 36x32, pants: large or extra-large, and shoes: 11
Mother: Underwear: medium, sports bras: medium, shirts: medium, pants: 8 short or medium, and shoes: 7
Boy, 14: Underwear: men’s small boxer brief, shirts: men’s small, pants: small, jeans: 30x32, and shoes: 8 ½.
Boy, 9: Underwear: 14/16 boxer briefs, shirts: 14/16, pants: 14/16, jeans: 12 husky, and shoes: 5 ½ youth
Boy, 5: Underwear: 6/7 boxer briefs, bottoms: 6 slim, shirts: 6, shoes: 11.
Household items, gift cards or monetary donations are also being accepted. Donations can be dropped off at The Grenada Star office located at 355 W. Monroe St., between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., beginning Monday, Jan. 5.
Monetary donations can also be made on the family GoFundMe page by clicking the link below:
https://gofund.me/140794596
For more on this story, see next week’s edition.
