Manatee County couple loses everything in fire — but two items survive

ELLENTON, Fla. - A retired veteran and his wife — both 78 years old — narrowly escaped their burning Ellenton home Saturday morning after waking up to the sound of crackling flames.

Escaping the flames

What we know:

Mike and Lang Ebright were sleeping in their house around 4 a.m. Saturday when Mike heard crackling noises. 

"He got up to check it out, and he saw flames everywhere," the couple's granddaughter, Sierra Cordova, told FOX 13.

The couple tried to leave through the front door but found their path blocked by fire. Mike managed to guide Lang, who uses a walker, to a different exit and down a set of stairs to safety. 

"It doesn't shock me that that's exactly what he did," Cordova said of the retired veteran. "And, he's always taken care of my grandma, so it makes sense that he would just jump right into action mode."

Priceless keepsakes survive the fire

The backstory:

A woman walking by the home saw the fire and called 911. Crews from the North River Fire District responded to the scene. 

Firefighters sifting through debris found only two items that survived: A burial flag and portrait of Cordova's cousin, Andrew, a U.S. Marine who died in active duty in 2004.

"We knew in our hearts that he was there watching over them and protecting them," Cordova said. "And, he kept them safe in that really terrifying moment. This has meant a lot to us to be able to hold onto this."

The clean-up process

Dig deeper:

As her grandparents recover from minor injuries, Cordova and other family members continue to sift through debris at the Ebright’s house, looking for any other items that could be saved.

Sadly, Lang’s sewing machine was destroyed. 

"She sews to make money, and she's been asking about it, actually. So we were coming here, hoping to find it — but it looks like it's definitely not saveable," Cordova said. "She's always sewed all of my stuff for me growing up. So it was really kind of sad to see."

While cleaning up Friday, Cordova found a damaged clock that used to play a song every hour — "I can hear it in my brain," she said.

And then there’s the destroyed porch swing. 

"When I was like 10 years old, and I got sick, she let me lay on the swing, and she rocked me until I fell asleep. And, I slept there for a few hours — and seeing it like that, I remember that moment," Cordova said. 

Searching for a good Samaritan

What we don't know:

The family is hoping the neighbor who called 911 sees their story and reaches out, so they can thank her. The North River Fire District told FOX 13 the fire report shows the cause appears to be electrical in nature.

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