Family reflects on fire that took home
By Christopher Thomas, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"I dropped a sleeping pill and I was trying to find it," Walton said. "I couldn't find a flashlight so I found a lighter and flicked it a few times. That's when the lighter blew up. It was like someone poured gasoline on it."
Walton said the
Walton, who is still receiving treatment in
"I feel lost," Walton said. "I don't know what to do or where to turn. I don't know anything. It's hard to think about it because you look forward to going home, but you know it's never going to happen again. It's all you can think about."
Walton said she sustained burns on her face, back and neck due to the fire and received skin grafts for her burns. According to her, the grafts are setting in well and she should be discharged by Wednesday. Her son, Joseph, who suffered injuries due to smoke inhalation, was released on
Walton said, though, that once they return to their home county, the issue of where they'll go is still a mystery. The Waltons' did not have homeowners insurance and Walton said finding a new home for themselves may not be easy.
"We're going to have to find a new place to live," Walton said "We won't be able to return to the house. We haven't even been able to salvage anything. Everything's been burnt up."
According to Walton, gas cards for the trip back to
Like her husband, Chelvy Walton said the fact that everyone in the house, including the family dog, Peanut, got out alive is enough for her to feel grateful.
"I am ever so grateful," Chelvy Walton said. "They said if we had been in that house a few more minutes, we would've all been dead."
The Waltons said no official funds have been set up for for the family as of late Monday, but
"The way the people in our neighborhood are ... they care about our people," Chelvy Walton said. "When someone hurts, we all hurt. When there's a death in the family, it's like a death in our family. When someone's house burns down, like ours did, we come together and help them find a new place to stay. We've got good people here."
"It'll be good to get back home and getting things settled down again,"
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