Isle of Wight County, Va.— A family of nine lost almost everything in a fire on Saturday. The mother, Lisa Ellsworth, works to help homeless families find homes. Now, she finds herself in the same situation.
Ellsworth works at ForKids, a local nonprofit helping homeless families. “This is just a taste for me that will be over in a blink of an eye. For families that are homeless, it takes a lot longer and that’s why I do what I do,” she said.
The fire burnt most of the Harvest Drive home. The family was watching a movie when it happened. ” It was pretty scary,” said Ellsworth. “The kids were a little scared, but we all got out safe.”
Most of their possessions are gone, except for family photos. After the fire, the family got several donations of clothes. They say they have enough now, but are grateful for the help.
“My family and all my children are safe. It’s just a house. It can be rebuilt. Couches can be replaced. Furniture can be replaced. You can’t replace people, and that’s what’s important,”said Ellsworth.
The family is planning to rebuild the house, which will take about six months. For now, they’re staying with friends.
