SUFFOLK, Va. — A camper fire in Suffolk left one family without a home the Tuesday before Christmas. They said they're thankful no one was injured, but they're now left picking up the pieces.
Brandon Artis walked News 3 through the rubble of the camper he said he and his family owned and lived in.
"A lot of memories I have in here," he sighed.
He said his son was in the home and smelled smoke before he left the camper. That's when, Brandon Artis said, the camper exploded.
The family — Brandon Artis, his wife Amber Artis, and their 13-year-old son and three-year-old daughter — were thankfully not injured.
But they're feeling lost as they try to pick up the pieces.
"It left us with ground zero, you know, with nothing," said Brandon Artis. "Without my family, I'd be feeling like giving up."
In the meantime, the family said they've been living in their car.
"When you run out of gas, you're like 'What's next?'" Brandon Artis added.
"We're just trying to find help. There's not a lot of help out here and we don't have a lot of family out here. We've been trying to reach out to different places, but Suffolk doesn't have a lot of funds to help us," said Amber Artis.
"We reached out to Red Cross and they afforded some funds but we had to use that to eat and make sure we had somewhere to lay our heads, but that doesn't last very long," said Brandon Artis.
To add to the tragedy, they said financial hardship led them to skip getting insurance before the fire.
"It's just kind of a lesson learned to get insurance, but you just don't think it will ever happen to you or your family," said Amber Artis.
Everything in the home - and all the items for both Brandon and Amber's businesses ran out of the home - are a total loss.
"The only things we own right now are the clothes on our backs, shoes and socks on our feet," said Brandon Artis.
They don't know officially what caused the fire since the fire department is still investigating, but they think it might have been a gas leak or an electrical fire.
Their biggest concern right now, aside from necessities, is for their 13-year-old son who loves video games and their 3-year-old daughter who loves Elsa and Spiderman to have some happiness for Christmas.
"You never want to show your children... You want to remain positive and keep a smile. The situation could have been a lot more unfortunate. But my kids are okay and that's a reason to smile," said Amber Artis.
"I know in the long run things will get better. I know in my heart. As long as I got the man above," added Brandon Artis.
They're hoping for a Christmas miracle.
They said they've reached out to family for help, and also started a GoFundMe.
