CORNERSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Marshall County family lost their home and two pet dogs in a house fire this week.
The Starrs say the fire burned everything inside the house Tuesday morning. They lost everything, but thankfully, their two daughters and newborn baby were far away from the flames.
"Everything can be replaced, but what couldn't be replaced was with me in the car," said mother Brittani Starr.
But with a long road ahead, this small community did what it always does: takes care of its own.
In the days following the fire, the town of Cornersville has been raising funds to help the Starrs. Friday night, a fundraiser at a school basketball match-up was meant to raise even more.
"It hits me right in the heart to be honest with you because I mean they're family," said Cory Burns, who organized the fundraiser through his nonprofit Reach Out Countywide.
He says at two of Cornersville's school basketball games Friday, $10 was donated for every point scored.
"It's that simple in Marshall County," he said. "You just want to help your neighbor."
"You know the community is there when you grow up around this kind of community, but you don't really know it until you've actually experienced it," added Jason Starr. "When you're in that time of need and people come to your rescue, it's very overwhelming and joyful."
That money will help the Starrs find a new place to stay and fund anything else they need to rebuild.
On top of donations from the game, several individuals and businesses in the area pitched in as well.
Burns says they raised nearly $9,000 for the family so far, $2,400 specifically from Friday's games.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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