Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct donation drop-off locations. We regret the error.
CLAY COUNTY, TX (KFDX/KJTL) — A Henrietta family who had a brush with death, has their dog to thank after a fire broke out overnight, destroying their home.
Unfortunately, it was a heater that caused the home to become fully involved, but Chris Gwin said they may not be alive if it wasn’t for their furry family member.
For three years, Chris Gwin and his family have lived peacefully at 315 North Main in Henrietta, that was until April 6.
“I sat up and heard something in the kitchen it sounded like something frying maybe, like grease but I knew we hadn’t cooked anything so I opened the door and a bunch of smoke came out and it just overtook,” Gwin said.
Gwin said if it wasn’t for their family dog, Dish, they may not be alive.
“I laid down too in the living room and they went to bed in the bedroom, all of them, and then my dog had been causing a fuss and I thought maybe he wanted to go to the bathroom or something, he never does that at night and he kept on and kept on,” Gwin said.
Gwin said once he got everyone out of the house, that’s when the realization set in, that they had lost everything, leaving them to reach out to the community for help.
“Anything that can get us into some kind of living establishment with our kids, we’re at a motel right now, we’ll keep moving forward, we have another home that needs a little bit of maintenance done to it and will be able to live in it,” Gwin said.
Gwin said in less than 24 hours, the Clay County community has stepped up big time.
“I really want to take the opportunity to thank everybody, Gwin said. “People that we don’t even know have given us things for our children like car seats and clothes we lost everything and everybody has helped us it’s overwhelming actually like there’s so much money and things. It’s amazing like really amazing, I’ve lived here my whole life and it just reassures you that this is a great community and a great place to live and a great place to raise your children,” Gwin said.
There is a GoFundMe set up for the Gwin Family along with several locations in which you can drop off donations of clothes and other items.
Drop-off locations :
- 831 South Hancock
- The Clay County Leader
