Rockdale's Board of Commissioners named Tuesday, Feb. 5 as Lamonta Stroud and Richard Slater Appreciation Day in Rockdale County in honor of the two brothers who tried to save the Glass children from a burning building.

The brothers had run into the burning home of Reeba Glass and her five children on the night of Jan. 8 in the Pinedale neighborhood. The intense heat from the fire was overwhelming, but they tried various ways to get to the windows and rescue the children until firefighters arrived, but to no avail.

Nine year old Ah’Dariya Glass, 7-year-old Dar’Shawn Glass, 3-year-old Armoni Roberts, and 8-month-old Deon Glass were killed in the fire. Their mother Reeba Glass, 6-year-old brother and grandmother survived.

Lamonta Stroud, 18, a senior at Rockdale County High School who plans to join the military, and his brother Richard Slater, 20, a class of 2012 graduate, were humble as they accepted the plaques. 

Stroud said he had looked on the Glass family like his family. 

Reeba Glass was able to attend the meeting and said she was deeply touched by the communty's response. "I want to tell Rockdale County thank you for the love and support you’ve showed my family. If I could trade it all in I would, just to see my babies smile again," she said. "But it’s in the hands of God, you can’t question it."

Before the event, she said her suriving son misses his siblings. She described how the Glass children had always been together. He still gives them his toys.

When she talks to her son about his siblings, she says, "They're with God, they're in a better place, and He left me with you and you with me."

When asked if there was anything the family needed, Glass said small household furniture items, such as end tables and night stands. Pastor Billie Cox also thanked the businesses that had responded over the past weeks, such as Zaxby's, Aaron's, Glenn's BBQ, Dairy Queen, and had given with little fanfare.