Parents can imagine no greater love than our love for our children, and that love is what sent Barry Mason back into his burning home to save his precious son, Ethan Mason.
The town of Wigan in Manchester, England, is grieving after an early morning fire on April 14 claimed the lives of a father and son. Witnesses saw 45-year-old Barry run back into the burning building to save his 4-year-old son.
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Responders rushed Ethan to a local hospital in critical condition. And dad Barry Mason lost his life while attempting to save his son. Following surgery, Ethan was placed in a medically induced coma while being treated. However, little Ethan died three days later on March 17, having sustained burns over 70% of his body.
Detective Inspector Lee Gridley of the Greater Manchester Police’s Wigan district told The Independent, “This is a devastating incident, and all of our thoughts are with the family of this young boy, who had his entire life ahead of him.”
He continued, “Together with the earlier death, this is a tragedy for the Wigan community, and I know that many people will be shocked by this heartbreaking news. I hope people will join us in sending their absolute best wishes to all those involved in this incident as they begin their journey in the healing process.”
According to the Manchester Evening News, the blaze started in the home’s kitchen around 2:30 a.m. Although police are investigating the fire, they do not believe it to be suspicious.
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Six family members were in the home that night. Ethan’s mom, Kelly Wilson Kupper, and her other children survived the tragic fire and are left to mourn and rebuild after losing so very much. Jessica Wilson, Kelly’s sister, started a GoFundMe campaign to assist Kelly with the financial burdens that she faces in the midst of her tremendous grief. The fund has raised over 61,000 Euros, which equals approximately $66,000.
Barry’s family has described him as a “devoted daddy” and a “superhero.” His sister-in-law Jessica shared on her Facebook post, “Barry, we are heartbroken. Such a gentle giant and a devoted daddy until your last breath. Words will never describe just how grateful we are to you, hold our baby tight up there.”
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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
h/t: People
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Manchester Evening News
Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at http://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.