Family of 8 left homeless after house fire 2 days before Thanksgiving

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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58)-- Many families spent thanksgiving in the comfort of their own home, but the Beard family was forced to stay at a hotel after a fire broke out at their home Tuesday, November 26th.

Tears of devastation rolled down Licia Beard’s face as she walked through the home her family of eight shared together. Her daughter Qualaundra Carr was in shock after seeing it for the first time after the fire.

”I thought it was just a little bit of damage, like where it was kind of repairable, but I didn’t know it was this bad,” said Carr.

Beard lived in the home with her disabled son and two disabled grandchildren.  The fire has been especially hard for them.

”You know, we got to do what we got to do to make the best of what we can right now,” said Beard.   

”Christmas is also coming up so it’s very hard when you’re homeless, nowhere to go, living in a hotel, not knowing how long you’re going to be able to be there,” said Carr.   

Beard’s other daughter who lived at the home had to jump out the second story window, along with her two disabled grandchildren to escape the fire.

Carr describes the moment she almost lost her sister.

”She was telling her kids their goodbyes, she told them call your aunt, let her know what happened, I love you all, she’s going to take care of you all,” said Carr. “She wasn’t planning on making it out.”

”I’m thanking God that they’re alive, my daughter fractured her back in four different places from jumping out the window in the back, but we’re blessed she’s okay, the children are okay too,” said Beard.    

Licia Beard loves helping people. She’s a pastor and has been in outreach ministry for 20 years.  During this hard time, she says God will have her back.

“You really see how people could come to your rescue and will come to your rescue so it’s okay I think, I mean I know it’s going to be okay, I just know, I just know God is going to do it,” Beard says.  

The Milwaukee Fire Department says the fire started in the lower level bedroom, they responded just before 5 p.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Beard’s homeowners insurance lapsed just 10 days before the fire. Now the family is taking it one day at a time, withering the storm the best way they know how.

”Just through you know faith,” said Beard. “You know we’re living one day at a time, just one day at a time.”

”Everything else God will make a way to be fixed you know, but you can’t bring a life back, but you still can rebuild a home,” adds Carr.

At least $11,000 is needed for restoration efforts to begin, to help the Beard family click here.

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