Just three days after turning 23, a mom from Georgia tragically passed away while trying to rescue her three little children from a fire in their mobile home.
Madison Hope Summerville bravely rushed through the flames to save her babies. In her courageous act, she not only saved her own children but also rescued eight other people she didn’t even know.
Her partner, deeply saddened by her loss, said, “She meant everything to us, so beautiful, but my beloved saved our precious children. She sacrificed her life to protect them. She’ll always be a hero to us all.”
Madison’s story began on February 15, when she was at home in Spalding County with her three kids. It had been a joyful week for her, celebrating her 23rd birthday on February 12 and then Valentine’s Day with her partner, Daniel Denham, and their sons Kayden (five) and Thomas (four), and daughter Paisley (three).
But the happiness of the previous days turned into sadness the next day.
Summerville’s sister, Chasidy, said that around 11 a.m., a fire started in the bedroom and quickly spread throughout the mobile home where the family lived.
Chasidy explained that Summerville broke a window, got Kayden out, and told him to run for help.
When neighbors heard Kayden crying for help, they rushed to the burning house and saved Thomas and Paisley from the fire.
Sadly, Summerville couldn’t make it out alive. She was overcome by the thick, dark smoke.
Chasidy told the local news station WSB-TV 2, “It’s terrible, there’s just a hole left in my heart.”
“She was trying to save the others, but there was too much smoke,” said the grieving mother. “And then she collapsed.”
When firefighters got there, the whole house was on fire.
They managed to rescue Summerville from the fire, but she passed away the next day in the hospital.
“I feel lost without her,” said Chasidy about her younger sister. She stayed by her sister’s side all night in the hospital and helped prepare her for her final journey as a hero.
Chasidy was there when Summerville took her last breath. “She couldn’t breathe on her own because of the smoke she breathed in.”
Summerville’s daughter Paisley wasn’t responding at first, but she woke up the same day her mom passed away. The boys had minor burns and breathed in some smoke. While we don’t have any new information about the children, it was said earlier that they’re expected to get better soon.
Then, Denham had to break the heartbreaking news to the kids that their mom wasn’t coming back.
Denham’s sister, Amber Morris, worried about how the children would react when they realized their mommy wasn’t coming home. She praised the good Samaritans who helped, saying things could have been much worse without them.
Family and friends are trying to come to terms with the loss of the selfless mother.
Denham, who had been with Summerville since around 2018, shared a deeply emotional post on his Facebook page.
“My beautiful fiancée has passed away, and I’m truly speechless. She was the best mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister anyone could ever have. She made my life complete, she made our kids’ lives complete. She meant everything to us, so beautiful, but my beloved saved our precious children,” he wrote. He shared several photos of Summerville with the family and continued, “She sacrificed her life to protect them…she’ll always be a hero to us all.”
Many friends and family members changed their profile pictures to include images with the deceased mother, showing their support for the newly single father.
“She was a wonderful mom and friend. She’ll be truly missed. I’m praying for you and the kids. Love you, son,” wrote Jason Johnson, Denham’s father.
His cousin, Lucas Garcia, said, “A beautiful young soul gone too soon. She was one of the brightest souls I’ve met, one of the best mothers I’ve known.”
Rylee Thacker, Summerville’s best friend, posted on Facebook from the hospital on February 15, asking for prayers. Later, she wrote, “My best friend, you’ll be missed. I love you so much.”
A GoFundMe was created by Chasidy to help her “bubbly” sister’s family, who have no insurance and lost everything in the fire.
“My sister gave her life to try and save her 3 babies a super mom if you ask me but not only did she save 3 she will be saving 8 more,” she writes of Summerville, referring to her status as an organ donor. “11 people my sister has/will save in two days now that’s a hero.”
At this moment, it’s still unclear what caused the fire.
This is such a heartbreaking story, and our thoughts go out to this young mom’s family in their time of grieving.
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