BON SECOUR, Ala. — After a devastating fire blazed through his home, a veteran is finding comfort in what he believes is a message from above – his grandfather's Bible, still in one piece.
"Today was a devastating start to the new year," the father of four wrote in a Jan. 7 Facebook post. "We lost our home of 22 years due to a Christmas tree fire in our living room, but I thank God we [were] at church."
According to WALA and Fox News, Scot Byrd of Baldwin County, Alabama, lost his home to a fire last month. He and his family were not there when the fire broke out, destroying their belongings and killing their kitten.
Among the ashes, a firefighter spotted the Bible and was moved to tears, Byrd told WALA.
"He said, 'You're not going to believe this. You've gotta come see it for yourself,'" Byrd told the news station. "This Bible did not have one scorch mark on it."
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Members of the community have since rallied behind Byrd, whose 7-year-old daughter, Shelby, is in remission following a battle with leukemia. Thanks to their donations, the family, who are staying in Gulf Shores, have clothes, beds and the supplies the children need for school.
"We don't give up," said Byrd, who wants to rebuild his home, WALA reported.