(WBIR-Loudon)
A generator serves as more than just a source of power for a Loudon
County family.Blake Goins, 20, suffers from a severe case of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and during the February ice storms, his family says a generator is what helped keep him alive.
Now, it has been stolen and it's leaving the family heartbroken.
"I bet you there was $3000 to $4,000 worth of stuff here on the porch at the time. All they took was a 6500 watt generator," said Ed Goins, Blake's father.
It didn't just provide a means of electricity.
"It was more of a life support system," Ed Goins said. "He has to have a cough assist machine, he has to have a bipap machine. We have 4 or 5 machines he uses."
All of which are operated by electricity, which was limited during the February ice storms.
"When the power goes out, if we don't have a generator, he could die. Period. He would choke to death," Ed Goins said.
The family borrowed the generator from a friend. Now instead of putting money toward Blake, the family is saving up for a new piece of equipment they won't get to keep.
"We were going to try to rebuild our ramp that we have and now we have to take the money and buy this guy a new generator," Ed Goins said.
The family filed a police report with the Loudon County Sheriff's Office.
"When you steal something and it is meant to keep your child alive when you have no power, that hurts," Ed Goins said.