Veterans gather to clean up house fire wreckage

MADISONVILLE, Texas (KBTX) – After a Madisonville veteran lost his home to a fire Tuesday morning, local veterans banded together to help.

Jacob McWhorter lost his home which was located along Highway 21. McWhorter says he’s still standing because his service dog, Mattie Mae, alerted him of the fire just in time.

“It started up here in this corner and the flames were already halfway through the house. About 30 seconds after she got me out, the whole front end fell in. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here,” said McWhorter.

Thursday morning a group of veterans and community members cleaned up what remained of the property. Madison County Veterans Service Office organized the project.

The group spent about three hours cleaning and removing what they could this morning.

The volunteers included three men from Veterans & Patriots United, Bruce Gilbert who volunteered his skid steer and Erica Green, the Madison County Veterans Service Officer.

Volunteers that helped pick up house fire remains

“We’ve started about 8:30 [a.m.] and I think it’s what, 11:15 [a.m.] now, so we’ve made some tremendous progress in just a few hours, these guys were working like they were still in the military,” said Green.

Green says the cleanup would not have been possible if it weren’t for the community’s support.

”I’m just so grateful for the contributions that have come out, the people that have reached out wanting to help and it’s a work in progress. This is a big ordeal to put together within just a couple days and we’re just grateful for the help and the community. If it wasn’t for them, if we didn’t have the support for the community, we wouldn’t have been able to have this or get this done,” said Green.

Those who volunteered their time say it’s the duty instilled in their heart that brought them out.

“It’s one good thing to show another veteran, ‘Hey man, not only was the brotherhood instilled in the military, but it’s instilled when we got out now and we’re considered civilians again,’ it’s good to have that brotherhood again, it feels good to give back,” said Justo Baltasar, with Veterans & Patriots United.

“To know him [McWhorter] on a personal level as well as a brother in arms, you couldn’t not help, there’s no way. He’s my friend, at this point, he’s my brother, whatever the case is, this is what we do,” said Green.

Community members are helping in other ways as well. Rockin’ B Roll-Off Services and S & N donated dumpsters to help with the cleanup and Walker’s Cafe donated lunch for the volunteers and other community members are pitching in with temporary housing.

McWhorter says he’s grateful for all the veterans and community members who have shown their support. He said if it weren’t for everyone who has helped, he doesn’t know what he would have done.

He says having fellow veterans supporting him during this time is a feeling like no other.

“I haven’t felt this since I’ve been in the service. They talk about being a brotherhood that nobody else will understand. In the worst time of my life right now, it’s just having these people here, it feels like home,” said McWhorter.

Anyone who would like to help McWhorter can donate on his GoFundMe page.

Checks can also be addressed to ‘Jacob McWhorter’ and sent to Madison County Veterans Services at 101 West Main St. #105 in Madisonville. Anyone with questions can call their office at 936-348-2244.