Union County family’s home catches fire months after kids hit by truck

MONROE, N.C. — A Union County family is dealing with another tragedy just months after their two young kids were hit by a truck on Halloween. The family is picking up the pieces after a fire destroyed their home early Tuesday morning.

Firefighters said they were called to the house on North Secrest Avenue in Monroe just before 6 a.m. Tuesday. They found heavy flames coming out of the home when they arrived.

Everyone made it out safely, investigators said.

The fire marshal discovered the fire sparked when a kerosene heater in the living room was knocked over. Though he didn’t say the home was a total loss, the fire chief said it was heavily damaged on both the inside and the outside.

Channel 9′s Evan Donovan has spoken to the family several times over the past few months after their two youngest children were hit by a truck while trick-or-treating on Oct. 31. Five-year-old Graylen Massey suffered a concussion and a traumatic brain injury. His 10-year-old sister, Journey, was also hit and recovered from her injuries.

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The last time Donovan spoke with Massey, his mother Lashonda, and their family, they were all smiles and were celebrating his recovery. The fire ignited only six weeks later.

Plywood covered the front door and the windows of the home on Tuesday.

Kim Allen is one of the coaches for Journey’s basketball team. She said Lashonda texted her about what happened and was worried that Journey’s jersey had burned in the fire.

“You feel really helpless,” Allen said. “But I just want the family to know that we’re here for them, and Journey to know that the team has her back.”

Allen teared up while she was talking to Donovan on Tuesday.

“It’s emotional, they’ve been through a lot,” Donovan said.

“They have. They just keep taking hit after hit,” Allen said.

Rebecca Gordon is a friend who’s known the family for more than 10 years.

“It’s overwhelming. It’s overwhelming,” she said.

Gordon said the Red Cross is helping them but they basically lost everything.

“They did get some clothing, but I did get sizes of everybody to try to get what we can for them,” she said.

They’re a family that has dealt with so much in such a short time.

“And hopefully somebody can help them find a new place and get what they need,” Gordon said.

How you can help:

If you’d like to help the family, you can donate through the Spirit of Joy Church in Weddington.
Click here for the GoFundMe link.
You can mail a donation to Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, 8600 Potter Road, Weddington, NC 28104 (Write Alsobrooks/Massey Fire Relief in the memo).

(WATCH BELOW: Young trick-or-treater hit by truck out of ICU)