What began as an ordinary Saturday quickly turned into a day of devastation for the Baker family of Howey-in-the-Hills, whose longtime family home was reduced to rubble in a sudden and destructive fire.

Kristian Baker Rincon made what seemed like a small decision that morning, to stay behind instead of helping her parents, Rickie and Lilli Baker, run their food truck, Bakers Blazin BBQ. It was the final weekend before school started, and she wanted to take her kids somewhere special.

(The remains of the Baker’s house which was destroyed by fire.)

Her mother, Lilli, knowing she wouldn’t be home until late, asked Kristian for a favor, to walk her dogs and check on the animals at the house. It was a routine request, one of many the family has exchanged over the years on their property, which had grown to include dogs, birds, and various farm animals.

But when Kristian returned to the home later that day, nothing was routine.

“I pulled up and saw smoke and then flames,” she says.

With no time to spare, Kristian rushed into the burning home to help rescue the family’s dogs, getting them out to safety. Then, she raced around the back of the house toward the pool area, where her mother’s birds were kept.

(Rescued just in time. Here is the remains of the dog cage with insulation and parts of the home surrounding it.)

“I dragged the bird cage as far away as I could from the house,” she says.

Kristian was able to get all the animals away from the fire which was the good news. However despite her heroic efforts, the home was burning and by the time Kristian was done moving animals was engulfed in flames and was a complete and total loss.

By what the family calls “the grace of God,” Rickie, Lilli, and their youngest son, Jordan, were not home when the fire broke out. Jordan, a local high school senior, is now beginning his final school year amid this situation. The Bakers had spent years building the home, both structurally and emotionally. It was filled with photographs, keepsakes, and decades of memories, many of which have been destroyed.

“They built that place from the ground up,” says Kristian. “Every inch of it had their heart in it. They walked away with only the clothes on their backs. There is no power. No running water. No shelter. No sense of normalcy left to hold onto.”

(The interior of the Bakers house which was destroyed from the fire.)

As heartbreaking as the fire was, the aftermath has brought new challenges. The family’s rural property relies on a well system powered by electricity. With the power out, the animals no longer have access to clean water, putting more pressure on the family as they try to keep their livestock healthy during the Florida heat.

The Bakers food truck business Bakers Blazin’ BBQ has had to be put on hold due to this situation. Still, the family says they’re holding onto gratitude. No lives were lost. The animals were saved but the family now needs all the help they can get.

(Sadly the house the Baker’s worked so hard to build over so many years has been destroyed.)

“Right now, we’re taking it one day at a time,” Kristian says. “It’s overwhelming, but we’re hopeful.”

The Bakers are asking for any help with supplies, water, donations, or simply prayers as they begin the long road toward rebuilding. There is a GoFundMe link below that you can donate to. If you don’t have the financial means to donate a prayer in the comment section would go a long way.

GoFundMe Link

Photo Credit – Kristian Baker Rincon