"It's amazing how many people say I wanna help." That was the initial reaction of Linesville Fire Chief William Mickle, at a benefit on Sunday.
It's that attitude of selflessness that the Baker family is so grateful for, in the wake of unspeakable tragedy.
The Old Mill Cafe in Linesville pledged all money from a day long benefit at the pizza shop, to the family's cause.
Just days before, the Bakers and their six children awoke to a blaze that overtook their home.
They got five of the children out, but 16-year- old Zach, who's bedroom was where the fire started, didn't make it.
Chief Mickle said when his crew arrived on the scene, the house was already engulfed in flames, and they scrambled to rip out the front wall to get Zach out. They were too late.
The restaurant was quick to respond after news of the fire, but some community members beat them to it. The greenhouse on Heather Bakers' parents' property, where the family is staying, began filling with donations just hours after the tragedy."
Heather was overwhelmed by the generosity which sprung from neighbors, and even people she hadn't heard from in years.
She couldn't recall what woke her up the night of the fire, but looking through the onslaught of messages on her cell phone, she found one that stopped her heart.
"One of the calls was from Zach," she said, no longer able to keep her emotions at bay. "He said 'I can't see, I can't see,' and he was coughing."
Hearing that message was both shocking and enlightening. "I kept my cell phone next to my bed and he kept his cell phone next to his bed... and I really think that's what woke me up."
She said the overwhelming support showed that not only was Zach a blessing to her family, but to everyone who knew him.
"Yes my son was ours... but he also belonged to the community... and I'm so thankful for that," she said, smiling behind her tears.
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