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Graniteville Family Who Lost Home To Fire Being Helped By Community

Graniteville Family Who Lost Home To Fire Being Helped By Community

A Graniteville family is homeless after a weekend fire. The fire broke out Sunday at their home on East Avenue, in Graniteville. Fire investigators say a clothes dryer in the home caught fire. This family has been involved in biker ministries, for years, joining biker rallies to help donate to community charities. Now they are the ones that need help, and their biker family...is rallying around them. WJBF News Channel 6's Joy Howe has more.


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Aiken, SC -- Holly Keenan, fire victim: "Ah...that's my baby right there. You love mommy? Mommy loves you, too."

Holly Keenan has her family in a hotel room, because across town, their home, lies in ruin. Sunday, the family was inside, when Kenneth Keenan says he saw smoke coming from the dryer.

Holly: "My husband said, 'Holly, get Nicholas and get out.'"

Nicholas, just one pound when he was born, has cerebral palsy. Holly calls him her miracle child. She left his wheelchair, grabbed her son, and put him in the car with his sister. When she went to move it, it woulnd't start, so she pushed it to the road.

Holly: "And, then we stood there, and we watched all of my memories just burn."

There's not much left. The brand-new TV the couple saved up for their son to watch his favorite wrestling DVD's on was ruined.

Holly: "The security of having a place to live is gone."

Their memories...destroyed and melted, and in the middle of the damage, you can see there is a beloved pastime in this family...motorcycles. Twice a month, Kenneth meets with a biker group to help others in his community.

Kenneth Keenan, fire victim: "The Helping Hands, over here in Aiken, we visit them twice a year, we take them school supplies, and we take them Christmas..."

Now, the biker family in his life, is paying it forward.

Wayne Cheselka, biker Pastor: "Every biker event that they have, that family supports it, and they take out of what meager things they have...to help somebody else."

The Midland Valley First Church of the Nazarene's biker group, called "Driven By The Spirit", and Dixie Thunder, are collecting clothing and money to help give the Keenan family a new beginning.

Cheselka: "What they have is their home, and it may not be much to most of us, but to them, it's where they raised their children, and it's devastating to see it gone...they need help. They need help..."

These parents work full-time to keep their family together…they own the land and the home that they had...they give back to others. Now, the community is putting them on the receiving end.

Holly: "I'm telling you, right now, you never know how many friends you've got, or how many people love you, until you get to a point where you just don't have anything."

This Saturday, the Waffle House, in Clearwater, will host a car wash and bake sale. The profits will go towards helping the Keenans buy a new home.

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View More: Aiken, Car Wash, Christmas, Dixie Thunder, Holly Keenan, Human Interest, Kenneth Keenan, Midland Valley First Church, Wayne Cheselka
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