Douglasville family loses everything in house fire

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - A Douglasville family is in need of help after a fire destroyed their home.

Naomi Ukenedo was out running errands for her husband's surprise birthday party when she got a terrifying phone call from one of her children.

"She said, ‘Mother, come, there's fire in the house.’ She was screaming so loud," she said.

Her children said they saw smoke, heard the fire alarm go off, and then felt an explosion.

Naomi Ukenedo said three kids were able to get out just in time.

"The second explosion threw them out of the house," she said. 

When she got to the family's Douglasville home, firefighters were already there and the house was engulfed in flames. 

"You're watching everything you ever worked for going up in flames. I was just looking. I couldn't even cry because I didn't know what to do," Naomi Ukenedo said.

The couple's shared birthday was two days after the fire.

Only the bones of the house remain. All that's left of their belongings is what's in the back of Cosmos Ukenedo's truck.

The couple showed FOX 5 the truck, which was filled with things donated by others.

For almost three years the family has spent their weekends preaching to the homeless in Downtown Atlanta and helping them with food and other necessities.

They never imagined they'd be in a position of needing support themselves.

"We go preach to the homeless people every Sunday and we are now homeless," said Cosmos Ukenedo.

The family was struggling financially due to the pandemic and had let their insurance lapse.

The couple said they're thankful they have each other and their faith to help them through this tough time.

"I don’t call it lucky. I call it the grace of God because I am a preacher and I know how my God works. It's a good thing that I have my kids alive. All we need now is just help to move on," she said.

You can help the family out by donating to their GoFundMe here. 

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