A family in Moose Jaw experienced life and loss in just two days.
On June 4, Matt Burns and Kayla Penner welcomed their third baby boy together, Hendrix Burns.
Not even a week old, the little guy has quite the story to tell, and it all started before he was born.
“So we are on our way [to the hospital] and we almost make it, and I’m like, ‘Nope, I gotta pee, I gotta pee now’. So she pulls over and I get out and nope, the baby was just coming now,” Penner said.
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Her sister, Melony Penner, was driving her to the hospital when Hendrix pushed his way out. She got out to help.
“I yelled at her to get into the car, because the hospital is 10 seconds away… She’s yelling at me, I grab my phone, dial 911, put it on speaker and the throw it in grass. Next thing I know, I have a baby in my hands,” Melony said.
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Hendrix was taken to hospital and put on antibiotics for 48 hours. That’s when Kayla got a call she’ll never forget. The family home was on fire.
“If we wouldn’t have been at the hospital, we would have been at home,” she said.
Matt got their two and four-year-old boys out of the burning house safely. Unfortunately, the smoke was so thick he couldn’t rescue their pets.
“So he got Zander out first and put him in a neighbours yard, and by the time he got back in for Preston, the smoke was so thick he couldn’t see where he was going and he ran up, grab him and he got out right away… He tried to go back in for the dogs but the smoke was just too bad you couldn’t get back in,” Kayla said.
True to his namesake, Rocky the turtle survived. His tank was filled with debris when firefighters found him.
Within hours of the family losing everything, the community rallied, donating items and cash so Kayla and Matt could start rebuilding their lives.
A GoFundMe page was set up so the family could purchase what they need. A rib night fundraiser is also being held in Moose Jaw to raise money.
“The room is so full of stuff, we haven’t even go to go through half of it yet,” Kayla said.
“Their family losing everything is just heartbreak, but the community has come together and they have everything they need,” Melony said.
With help Kayla and Matt are picking up the pieces of their life, and are able to find comfort in their new son.
“Babies make everything brighter,” Kayla said.