Breast cancer patient's home destroyed by fire

Breast cancer patient's home destroyed by fire

Breast cancer patient's home destroyed by fire

Breast cancer patient's home destroyed by fire

A little before 10 p.m. Thursday, firefighters were called out to a home on Prince Albert Way in Lexington.

The Lexington Fire Department says the fire heavily burned the basement to the home, and likely started in that area. The flames also spread because of "irregularities" in the walls.

The people who lived in the burned out home say while it hurts to look at everything they've lost, today they're thankful for everything that was saved.

When the fire started Carin Addams was reading to her three year old son. Her husband Edward was in another room playing video games. Smoke detectors alerted them that something was wrong.

"He yelled get out, get out and he grabbed the dog, I grabbed the three year old and we ran out," said Carin Addams.

Once his family was outside Edward Addams went back in the home. His wife's scrapbook chronicling her seven year battle with breast cancer was still inside. The smoke was too thick, and even though he had the book in hand, Edward dropped it as he crawled back out through the smoke. He admits it was foolish to go back in but he says he wanted his son to have that book no matter what the future holds.

"With Carin going through her breast caner for the second time, we have no certainties of what life will bring us." said Edward.

We profiled her and her fight against breast cancer in December 2010. Addams is also a nurse at the Markey Cancer Center.

At the peak of the fire, flames were seen through the home's windows and firefighters had to break out windows to contain it. They even had to use ladders to work over the heavy smoke that hung over much of the block.

All three of the Addams went to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. When they came back this morning not only had firefighters saved that scrapbook, they had also saved several items meant to raise money for a charity Carin is starting to help her fellow nurses in need.

"This was my way to give back, because i was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and I had the support of all my coworkers," said Carin.

Now the Addams must rebuild knowing that even though they've lost almost everything, they still have their son, they still have their memories, and they still have each other.

"I say God never gives us more than we can handle, so I take it one day at a time. This is just something else he added to my plate," said Carin.

The Addams family says they are taking donations right now for their charity for nurses, not for themselves.

Firefighters say they are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

If you would like to donate to Carin For Nurses you can visit carinfornurses.org

UPDATE:

If you would like to help the Addams family. You can go to any 5/3 Bank in Central Kentucky and make a donation. Under:

"The Benefit of Edward and Carin Addams, House Fire Fund"

Source: http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Breast_cancer_patients_home_destroyed_in_fire_139081809.html

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