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COBB COUNTY, Ga. - It only took minutes until the entire Cobb County home was fully engulfed in flames, burning the structure completely to the ground and everything inside. It was once the proud home of a Walton High School coach. Thursday, the community continued to rally around the much-loved coach raising more than $30,000.
John Evans said by the Grace of God, his two youngest children weren't home when the fire broke out. The two upstairs windows were their rooms and he's not sure he could have gotten them out unharmed.
"You could see half of the carpet the rest was black smoke, the grey smoke. I can distinctively remember the plastic burning, the smell. I dive through the hallway, slide down the stairs on butt, take a right and out the front door," said Evans.
By then the entire house was in flames. Evans said he was asleep when his 14-year-old son ran upstairs to tell him his room was on fire. The coach tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher and told his son to get out of the house.
"He goes out the front door and when he opens the door just poof," said Evans.
Evans barely made it out and said he thanks God his two youngest were inside.
"I don't like to think about that. It’s just… a 4-year-old, 9-year-old, they’re going to panic," said Evans.
Evans and his children lost everything in the fire, but he would soon learn he wasn't in this alone. For the past 17 years, he's given to students in the community, coaching them in softball, football, and tennis. They rallied, as well as his neighbors, who went door-to-door collecting donations. Not to mention a GoFundMe page set up for him that already has more than $30,000.
"I still can't grasp it. I've been trying to jot things down and things I want to say to people. So humbling, it's so gratifying. I told somebody today I don't know if I will ever have the words to express what they've done for me and my kids. I can't say thank you enough," said Evans.
Anyone who wants to donate can do so at gofundme.com/evans-house-fire-recovery.