I'm 19 and living at home with the folks. I was in my A+ class today when my girlfriend showed up to tell me that my house had burned down.

So I raced home in record time to find my house in ash. It seems that the fire started in the fireplace and spread up the wall to the attic. Nothing in my room was spared.

The firemen did manage to get most of our pictures and some really old furniture from my mother's room, but other than that and a new bag of toilet paper(which was left untouched...) there is nothing left.

My mother and step dad were both fine. My mom had gone to pick up a friend who's car had broken down. She was gone for thirty minutes. She actually knew when she saw the firetrucks going by, so she never made it to pick her friend up.

Our family is devasted by the fire. My mother's two dogs were trapped in the house and weren't found.

It get's worse. My mom doesn't have home owner's insurance. She got her house payed off about five years ago but never got insurance. The main reason is because they just couldn't afford it.

While I do find it overwhelming and seemingly hopeless, I know that there will be good to come of this. After sorting through the remains I went to Wal-Mart(I have worked there for two years now), and informed them. They had already known, however, because our neighbor had called looking for me. The store manager told me to pick up any of the things that we need, free of charge. This includes clothes, toiletries, food, whatever. For that, I will always be in his debt. Also, there is a Wal-Mart disaster relied fund for associates, and I am hoping that they can help us out.

Because my mother had helped so many people, I doubt that we will be lacking in support to rebuild. She has given more people a place to stay, or live than I care to count.

I hope to learn from this experience. Life is short and not to be taken for granted. I apologize for my ranting, but I had to vent somewhere. There's only so much crying a person can do, now it's time to heal. Though we have our moments of weakness, I know that what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. I look forward to helping my mother and stepdad rebuild not only their house but their lives.

Please keep my family in your prayers.

-James