A family in Rockhouse, Kentucky, lost absolutely everything during a horrific fire this week — everything aside from one prized possession: a Bible.
The family went out for a doctor appointment and came back to their beloved house engulfed in flames, as oxygen tanks that were inside reportedly helped fuel the fire, according to WYMT-TV.
“It just went,” Alisha Clevinger, daughter-in-law of home owner John Clevinger, told the outlet. “It was gone in no time.”
But while the family’s belongings and memories were gone from the home that John Clevinger had kept in his family for more than 100 years, spanning multiple generations, his Bible remained untouched by the flames.
“Our entire living room was on fire except for a circle surrounding the table that the Bible was on,” the man’s grandson, John Clevinger III, told the outlet. “As soon as they grabbed it a piece of the ceiling came through and broke the table.”
The family views the Bible as a symbol of hope that will sustain them as they rebuild their lives from the ruins, WYMT reported.
“We got our Bible out, thank God we got our Bible,” Alisha Clevinger added. “And that was it, that’s all we needed.”
A GoFundMe aimed at helping the family rebuild notes that the Clevingers have insurance for the house, but not its contents.
“The Clevingers will need to replace all of their clothing and personal items immediately,” the description reads. “If you would like to help out this wonderful family, please donate to this GoFundMe Campaign. Let’s help make this family’s holiday season a little more thankful and merry for John Clevinger and his family.”