NEED TO KNOW
Florida father Brian Rhodes said he and his 5-year-old son lost “everything” after an overnight fire ravaged their Tampa homeThe family’s beloved 8-year-old dog, Ivey, and Rhodes’ mother’s ashes were among the losses in the house fireRhodes is “looking for a home now” for him and his son
A Florida father and his 5-year-old son are lucky to be alive after an overnight fire ravaged through their home in Tampa.
Brian Rhodes told Fox 13 News that he and his son had not been home when the fire began, and were unaware of what was happening until they got a call from authorities at around 6 a.m.
“It was so big (firefighters) couldn’t tell me where it started,” Rhodes told the outlet, adding that when he arrived fire crews were working to put out the flames, which had been coming out of the windows of the home.
“You could just tell everything was gone,” he added, per Fox 13 News.
When the flames were put out, Rhodes walked inside certain areas of the charred home to see if there was anything that could be salvaged.
“I lost everything, everything I owned was in this home,” he told the outlet.
Firefighters later informed him that along with several items, his 8-year-old pitbull Ivey was not able to make it out. Rhodes told the outlet that Ivey was his son’s “best friend,” adding that the dog “protected him” and “played with him,” and there were other irreplaceable items that were gone forever.
He reportedly told his son, “your blankie you’ve had since you were [6-months-old] is gone. All of your shoes, your toys, your playstation” too.
While examining the ashes of his home, Rhodes also learned that another important item was missing — the ashes of his mother, Lala.
“My mom’s ashes were here,” he told Fox 13 News while pointing to a spot in his home. “It makes me want to cry, but I know I’ve got to be strong because I know my son is watching me.”
The Tampa resident said family, friends and co-workers have since reached out to help donate essential items and clothing to him and his child — all of which he said he is grateful for.
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“At one point I thought I had nobody — and then all of this happened, and I feel like I really do have people around me,” he said.
As for what’s next for the family, Rhodes told Fox 13 News that they are “looking for a home now” and focusing on rebuilding their lives together.
“Once you lose everything, you realize what really matters — and it’s those two things — me and my son,” he said.