JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville family is navigating a heartbreaking Christmas Day tragedy after an electrical fire destroyed their Maxville home and claimed the lives of their two beloved dogs—Kira and Gracie.
What began as a festive morning on Christmas turned catastrophic when an electrical issue near the refrigerator ignited a fire that engulfed the Thomason home. Although the exterior appears mostly intact, the interior tells a different story, with significant fire and smoke damage destroying nearly all their belongings.
GOFUNDME: Please Help Monte and Terri rebuild after deadly fire
Terri Thomason described the chaos, pointing to areas in her kitchen where cherished items were consumed by the flames.
“The refrigerator kind of exploded,” Terri Thomason said.
From family mementos to daily necessities, the loss has been overwhelming. But the hardest blow came with the loss of their dogs, Kira and Gracie, who Terri said were like children to them.
“The worst part about that is the death of our dogs, who were like our children,“ Terri said. ”As a matter of fact, our children would always say that we probably liked them better."
Monte Thomason, a retired disabled veteran who served in both the Navy and Army, braved the flames in a desperate attempt to save their pets.
Despite his vision impairment, he risked his safety, showing the depth of their bond with Kira and Gracie. But he was unable to get to them in time.
Adding to the Thomasons' challenges is the lack of insurance coverage.
Their policy lapsed shortly before the fire due to financial constraints, leaving them without the means to replace their home and belongings.
Monte and Terri Thomason are now trying to rebuild their lives from the ground up and recover from losing their two companions.
Craig Jones, a former neighbor, has stepped forward to assist the Thomasons. He has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help them rebuild and cover essential expenses.
Jones described the Thomasons as a family that consistently puts others first and urged the community to come together to support them in their time of need.
“This family is the kind of family that always puts everyone else first they always want to help everybody else and they definitely, definitely need all the prayers that they can get and all the help that they can get to get through this time,” Jones said.
The fundraiser aims to replace the Thomasons' home and other items lost in the fire. It also seeks to provide a sense of stability as they mourn the loss of Kira and Gracie.
While the road ahead is uncertain, their story has inspired many to lend a helping hand.
The Thomasons' resilience and the compassion of their community serve as reminders of the power of unity in the face of adversity.
“My dad always taught us to stand on your own two feet,” Terri said. “It is just really difficult to ask.”
If you would like to help this family rebuild after their recent tragedy, please consider contributing to their GoFundMe campaign. Click here to make a donation.