WAFF.com: North Alabama News, Radar, Weather, Sports and Jobs-Home of Elkmont family with 11 kids destroyed by fire

Home of Elkmont family with 11 kids destroyed by fire

By Bobby Shuttleworth - bio | email
Posted by Dana Franks - email

ATHENS, AL (WAFF) - A Limestone County family with 11 children was forced out of their home after a fire.

The Mobley family is tightknit and are working together, but with so many children to take care of, they have some serious needs.

One minute Karen Mobley said she and the youngest of her kids were safe and secure inside their home. The next moment they were running to escape a second floor fire.

Mobley said the rest of the kids were outside.

"My daughter ran to get [the youngest child]," she said. "I was trying to figure out if I could get into the room and do anything, but it was obvious it was too late to even do that safely and so she got him and ran out, and then I got out."

Mobley said they're thankful they all made it out alive.

"We're doing real well," she said. "We realize that everything we have is just stuff, and it was going to burn anyway, and we, physically are okay."

The kids are homeschooled. Their books, fortunately, were not damaged.

The Mobley's insurance company put them up in a hotel room Wednesday night in Athens. The family didn't get much sleep, but they are getting lots of help.

The Mobley family said they're seeing the hand of grace reach out from neighbors who were ready to embrace them with compassion.

"The neighborhood and some churches we've been to, and my daughter-in-law works in south Huntsville, and they're all wanting to help," Karen Mobley said. "Chick-Fil-A in Athens, the owner actually called me. My 18-year-old works there. He called, wanted to know if there was anything they could do."

As for specific needs, she said they have enough donated clothes for now. 

"Just pray that we have wisdom in the steps that we need to take with this and that's a priority right now," she said. "We're just grateful for the love that we've seen, even in this small community here."

At least three churches are helping the family: New Life Baptist in Harvest; Elkmont Baptist; and Lindsey Lane Baptist in Athens.

©2009 WAFF. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.