Bartow Family Loses Everything After Easter Weekend Fire Destroys Home

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Most people wake up with an alarm clock. The day before Easter, a Cartersville family woke up with a thunderous boom that shook their whole house.

In less than five minutes, Nicole Abbott knew she had a problem bigger than just noise.

“As soon as I walked out the bedroom door and shined a light, you could see the smoke,” Abbott told Patch. “I smelled something burning.”

Abbott said that as soon as her fiancé, Charles Cook, realized what was happening, he said "Grab your baby and get outside!"

Abbott, Cook and 4-year-old granddaughter Angie Carr escaped with their pet puppy and bird, some clothes ... and nothing else.

A lightning strike at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday is believed to have caused the house fire at 74 Milan Bridge Road, according to Bartow County Fire Chief Dwayne Jamison. It took until about 8 a.m. to put it out. Jamison described the house as “a total loss.”

That left Abbott and her family with no place to live and little more than the clothes on their backs. Fortunately, friends have stepped in to help, donating necessities. Also, according to Abbott's Facebook page, some clothes were salvaged from the house. Still, everything else was destroyed. What's more, Abbott and her family are seeking a new place to live — not an easy task in today's real-estate market.

To help Abbott's family rebuild, friends have mounted a GoFundMe campaign. The link is here.

“We want to thank everyone for all the love and support,"Abbott told Patch. "We greatly appreciate it."

A link to help the Abbott's family get back on their feet is here. GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.