Dear Editor:

The day before Thanksgiving our family awoke to the sound of glass shattering. Our house was on fire. Everything that truly mattered escaped that morning … our family. We are so blessed and very thankful to our Lord Jesus for His protecting hand of love.

Since then there has been an outpouring from our community. We feel blessed beyond measure! The list is long of the people who gave. There could never be words to adequately articulate what you all did for us. You put clothes on our backs and shoes on our feet. You brought toys to our little boy and made him feel like this was truly Christmas instead of a tragedy. You gave selflessly of your time, and we felt your love and prayers in abundance.

As we stood in awe that cold Wednesday morning at the sight of our house burning down, we have stood in greater awe at the love you have all shown over the minutes, hours and days to follow.

Thank you to our Lord Jesus, first and foremost. Thank you to our family at the City of Covington Police Department. From the very first minute you were there and haven’t rested until we could.

We thank our family at Word of Life Tabernacle; what a blessing you have all been.

Thank you to the United States Marine Corps VMU-2 and our troops who gave all the way from Afghanistan … Oohrah!

Thank you to all our precious family and friends who went into action immediately to restore our lives to normal. We love you all so very much.

Merry Christmas and God bless you all is our prayer.

The Smith Family

Chris LaDonna Hannah Ashleigh and Caleb