Mother's Day for one Mount Juliet woman was extra special after she and her children experienced a terrifying ordeal two weekends ago.
Rachel Martin, the full-time blogger behind Finding Joy, just arrived to Long Hunter State Park with her five children when her mini van burst into flames.
"All of a sudden all the warning lights on my dash came on and then the van died," Martin recalled.
Martin said there was smoke but did not jump into action until her 11-year-old son stepped out and warned her of the fire. Within minutes, flames consumed her only mode of transportation and blew out the windows.
"It was so fast," Martin told NewsChannel 5. "I felt a little bit of deep shock, I just couldn't believe that it was happening."
Martin said she could not stop counting her kids as she worried about their safety and the safety of other park goers. Everyone got out, but the fire injured Martin's foot as she tried to stop a flame that dropped to the ground.
"In a moment of not understanding heat and danger of vehicle fires, I swiped my foot underneath to put out the fire underneath the engine," Martin said. "My shoe melted and my sock melted into my foot."
As a blogger with tens of thousands of followers, Martin wrote two blogs titled "It will never happen to me" and "In the end... it's just stuff" to explain the terrifying situation and major takeaways.
Martin said she learned some lessons including coming up with an escape plan during vehicle fires and to never open the hood.
"If you ever suspect your vehicle is on fire, best thing to do is to get away as fast as you can and nothing in there is worth going back for," Martin added.
While it was scary for her kids, Martin hopes that they would gain a new perspective that everything can disappear in an instant. She is not only proud of her children for being brave that day, but has become more grateful than ever.
"I look at my kids with a little bit of extra thankfulness," Martin tearfully said.
A gofundme has been set up to help the family. Click on this link to learn more.
