July 3^rd, 2014 was not a regular, lazy summer afternoon for Kayla Williams (11). This was the day the Williams’ life-long house burned down.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams were in New York, dropping White Station graduate Kristin Williams off at West Point. Williams was left at home with her two younger brothers and their dog, Lacy, while her older brother was away at work.

“The lights went out and they were out for a couple of minutes and then there was this banging on the door.” She originally thought it was someone messing with them. After she answered the door, though, Williams was told by a neighbor that the house was actually on fire.

“The neighbors were already calling 911.”

Yet, Williams said the damages done were irreplaceable, and the house was unsalvageable.

“The fuse box caught on fire and it burned the whole ceiling,” Williams said.

After the fire, the Williamses stayed in a hotel for a month. Since then, they have begun renting a house and have started the process of building a new home.

Throughout the process, the Williams family has received endless help and support. The Boys Scout troops that Williams’s brothers belong to visited the family and brought meals. Sergeant Myers sent out a mass group text to all ROTC members to raise donations for the family. A friend’s parent even opened a consignment store on the fourth of July so Williams could get new clothes.

And the family’s attitude towards the accident has been very positive.

“We get to build a new home and get new clothes. Also no one was hurt, just material things were gone. Also, we’re renting a two story house, so I get my own room. The house is also closer to White Station,” Williams said.

Because the smoke was blowing towards the backyard, where Lacy was, Williams was unsure of the dog’s safety. Fortunately, Lacy was okay.

As an individual, Williams has become more cautious, aware and grateful, “You never know when something will happen,” Williams said.

Overall, Williams’s experience was definitely a frightening one. By remaining calm and accepting help, Williams and her entire family are able to look back on this life altering event with a positive attitude and move forward.