MANATEE COUNTY – “Smoke just piling out of the house and my instinct just kicked in and I knew there was a fire,” says Bradenton Dad Kevin Hawkins.
The night of November 6th a fire caused by dryer lint raged through the Aaron Lakes Apartments in Bradenton. Hawkins immediately running into the burning building to save his four trapped children.
“It was hard to find them. One was under the bed, the other was on the toilet,” says Hawkins.
Hawkins recalls the billowing smoke making it almost impossible to see. Still, three after rushing his three toddlers out Hawkins ran back into the burning building to rescue his 4-month-old son, breaking through the reinforced hurricane glass bedroom window to get them both out alive.
“ I had to hold him real tight, because I knew it was sharp glass, and I just tucked him real close to my chest and just hoped for the best,” says Hawkins.
Miraculously baby Kevin was unharmed. Hawkins, however was severely injured as shards of glass tore through both of his legs. Yet, that didn’t stop the Manatee High School graduate from staying in hometown hero mode.
“Kevin’s running around with his leg dangling like a piece of meat trying to make sure the other neighbors are getting out,” says Hawkins.
After a few nights at Blake Medical Center and Tampa General Hospital, the blended Hawkins family is healthy and on the road back to a full recovery, minus everything they’ve ever owned. The community, family and friends have rallied around the Hawkins’ and the other displaced victims from the fire.
“For our part on behalf of myself and my law firm, we’d like to make your our November Helping Hands recipient. You’re my hero,” says Carl Reynolds with Carl Reynolds Law.
For now, Hawkins says he is grateful and steadfastly feels blessed at how that fateful night turned. The family hopes to become homeowners in the future.