Two Southwest Virginia families seek help rebuilding after home fires

Continuing coverage Thursday night on the recent fires across Southwest Virginia.

2 families are now picking up the pieces after losing their homes and the memories inside them.

Glade Spring homeowner, Billy Cannon’s home went up in flames around 3 a-m last Thursday.

Billy said it started with something you wouldn’t expect a motor inside their refrigerator.

Now, the family is trying to move forward after losing so much.

Your house is more than just a house. It’s all of the memories from decades and decades of a gatherings. The Cannons have a lot of history here and I think that is what hurts the most, said Billy Cannon’s niece, Tanika Gilbert.

Billy Cannon’s family has owned his home for generations and last Thursday, it went up in flames. His girlfriend Debby first saw the fire around 3 a-m.

At first, she thought she was dreaming, until she realized the kitchen was on fire, said Tanika.

3 fire departments, Glade Spring, Damascus, and Meadowview responded and fought the flames for nearly 5 hours.

In a separate fire this past Sunday in Dickenson County, Ronnie Mccowan, 72, lost the home he had lived in for 60 years. Ronnie’s son Raymond said it was his childhood home, filled with a lifetime of memories.

I can only imagine on his end when I look at it, and you know all the memories that were there, so I can only imagine what he feels, said Ronnie’s son, Raymond Mccowan.

A local woman, Millie Brown is the Founder of nonprofit God’s Second Chance. She has been collecting donations for both families, driving around picking up essential items and delivering them directly.

Their homes is just a shell right now nothing inside of it, said Founder of nonprofit God’s Second Chance, Millie Brown.

Both families told News Five’s Natalea Hillen they are grateful for the community support.

I thank everybody in the community, said Glade Spring fire victim, Billy Cannon.

But still need help as they begin to rebuild.

As of right now, we don’t have nearly enough to be able to stick build even a smaller home, so we’re just continue to ask for the community support, said Tanika.

The biggest thing is any kind of donations you know, it doesn’t have to be in money, said Raymond Mccowan.

If you’d like to donate to help the Cannon Family, click here.

If you’d like to donate to help the Mccowan Family, click here.