Deputy
Kenny Palmer was headed home to get ready for his shift at the
Loudon County Sheriff's Office Monday night when he got the call
that his house was on fire.
LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — A Loudon County Sheriff's deputy and
his family are okay after losing their home in a fire Monday
afternoon.
According to LCSO, the fire started around 2:30 p.m. as
Palmer was headed back home to get ready for his shift at
the department. Palmer, his wife and two boys are unharmed,
but they lost everything to the flames.
Now, the community is rallying around the family to
collect donations and get them back on their feet
financially.
"[It's like] everything you've ever worked for is just
taken away from you in the moment," Palmer said as he
stood in front of his home's shell Monday night.
Palmer is also a School Resource Officer in Greenback
and a preacher at a nearby church. He was at the gym
with his oldest son and preparing to head home to get
ready for his evening shift at the sheriff's department
when dispatch gave him the life-altering call that his
house was on fire.
"Immediately your heart sinks," Palmer recalled. "She
told me everyone was okay but the house was on fire, so
that gave you some sense of relief."
Palmer said the items that can't be replaced, like his
children's baby pictures and mementos are the hardest to
lose, but he's thankful no one was hurt.
As soon as the sheriff's office heard what happened, the
officers sprung into action, organizing a GoFundMe and
donation drive at the Loudon County
"We just started putting out the word that we were going
to collect some items, take up some cash and it's kind
of blown up from there," LCSO Sergeant Matt Fagiana
said.
Within an hour, clothes, toiletries and $5,000 came
rolling in from the community.
Wives of deputies came into the department to help sort,
arrange and configure the donations Monday night.
"It really not only is it a testament to what our
community is, but it's also it just it shows how
important Kenny is to this community," LCSO Sergeant
Chris Hutchens said.
Hutchens responded to the fire call and knew the address
belonged to one of the department's own. He said it was
emotional to see Palmer in front of the wreckage.
"When it does take place within our organization,
it's a hard reminder that we are not immune from
that," Fagiana explained.
Organizations also donated a van and storage unit to
the family of four, helping the department rally
even closer to their coworker.
Even in the ashes, this hometown preacher, deputy
and dad is trusting in a bigger plan.
"We have a lot of faith in our family, and we know
one thing that if He brought us to it He will bring
us through it," Palmer said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
If you would like to donate, you can click
here for the GoFundMe.
No longer in need of cloths or household donations.