JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- It's been a hellish 24 hours for Jason Haller and his family. They were en route to their new home in Atlanta, stopped to the use the bathroom...and watched in horror as their belongings went up in flames.
"It's a lot of ups and downs. Anger. Sadness," Haller said.
Friday, the community rallied together to help them out. The Jacksonville Firefighters Association paid for their hotel overnight...and the Red Cross came in with toys and comfort kits.
"The family has a place to go, we're just really trying to get them a rental car and get them out of this period of stagnation, get them moving and where they need to be," Mark Tregglio with the Jacksonville Firefighter's Association said.
Kenneth Thomas saw the group outside his hotel last night, and sprung into action.
He heard they had to be out of their rooms by 3 today...so decided to pay for a few additional nights.
"This situation, I was able to do, was compelled to do and I've been trying to follow my heart with helping others because you never know when you're going to be in that situation," he said.
The kids in the family range from 9 months to 15-years-old. There's still a lot of uncertainly, but Haller is grateful for the help they have gotten.
"Honestly, no one really had to do anything for us. They could have just left us on the side of the road, but they didn't. They helped us a lot," he said.
If you'd like to donate or help the Haller family,
click here.
