re: UPDATE: Found Dead A father’s desperate search for family after TN wildfires

I have read conflicting stories. The one posted here, and another that said him and his boy were downtown. I took it as random errands, etc. He called and told them they couldn't get back up the mountain.

I'll be praying for them and their family tonight.

I'll also be holding my little ones close.

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I was there on the 27th. They died on the 28th. It was smoky then. No way we thought it would esculate the way it did.

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Have a friend who was there with her boyfriend who left on the 27th. She posted pictures of the smoke on the mountain as they were leaving.

they found the daughters along with the wife?

Yes

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UPDATE: FOUND DEAD

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I don't know why but I hate this edit to the title. It's cold and brutal. Maybe take it out of all caps or something.

Heartbreaking. I'm glad they were found even though not in the manner in which we hoped.

It sounds like people were just not aware of the severity or evacuation or how quickly fires spread. I doubt he left his wife and girls there knowing they were at risk for what happened. I think they just didn't know how close it was or how fast it was moving. Poor guy has to live with "why didn't I take them all with me?" I hope he and his son can somehow go on with life in time. The pain has to be more than excruciating and unbearable.

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Unless he could walk through 1200 degree fire, he wasn't making it to them.

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You'd be amazed at what a man will do to save his family.

I was on shift one night in Florida when a man was brought in with 3rd deg burns over most of his body. It was awful. He did not survive, but...

He worked the night shift at a local plant. He apparently got a call around 3am from his neighbor that his house was on fire. His wife and 3 young children were asleep in the house and neighbor said it was too hot to get near the house. They lived in the country so it takes help a while to get there. The guy got there ahead of the fire dept and made 3 trips into the house which was fully engulfed in flames bringing his wife and 3 kids out. The fire dept showed up as he was bringing out his wife (he got his kids first).
The wife and 3 kids did not survive, but he died believing he saved them. Just before sedating him and putting him on a ventilator he asked me how is family was. I knew the man would die and was not about to tell him the truth. I told him he saved all of them.

That story is tough to tell in person without getting a little emotional. Mad respect for that man.

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Did they need to drive away to find out? There was a mandatory evacuation.

I feel for the guy, but that was a serious mistake.

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When I saw his first interview I had a strange feeling something was wrong with his story.

Why didn't he call 911 to see where the fire was instead of separating his family?