Local

Family gets outpouring of support after fire

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County family is thanking its community for giving them a Christmas miracle. 

A fire on Christmas Eve destroyed the home of Steve Kent, his wife, and their four kids rented on Post Oak Court in Marietta.  They lost everything, including the children's presents under the tree.  

"We basically left the house with whatever we had on our backs," Kent told Channel 2's Sophia Choi. 

His wife added, "The worst was probably the night of the fire and having my 5-year-old son Jacob come to me crying.  And I said, 'What's wrong?'  And he says, 'We're not going to have Christmas.'"
 
But the family did have Christmas, thanks to some generous friends and co-workers.  A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Trickum Road let the Kents use their home while they were vacationing away from home. 

Other church friends, along with Mr. Kent's co-workers at Noble Systems on Ashford Dunwoody Road, donated gifts.

"We had more gifts than what we would have originally had," said Mrs. Kent.
 
And the gifts didn't end with Christmas.  Co-workers are now collecting a long list of furnishings for the Kent's new home.  They plan to rent another one in Marietta by the New Year.
 
Kathryn Fraser from Noble Systems told Choi, "All the employees donated money.  It's incredible.  If he has a house, we're going to stop with a U-Haul truck and load his house up."

Mr. Kent said he's tickled over the outpouring of support, saying "It's been a miracle as far as I'm concerned."