Duke didn’t make it out of the house fire

I’m just so devastated and trying to process this. My mom called me Tuesday barely able to talk and told me her house caught fire and they couldn’t get Duke out. My mom has gone through so many tragedies in her life, including the suddenly loss of my dad when I was 7 and my little brother was 3. She’s so strong and able to try and put one foot in front of another, but Duke was her best friend and he wasn’t even 4 years old yet.

She wasn’t even outside for 10 mins. She has bees and was outside taking care of them. She thought it was 15-20 minutes, but we found the Ring camera above her garage shows her walking out the door and then 10 mins later you see the smoke blow out a side window. I think the fridge actually exploded, but the fire investigators are still piecing it together.

My mom just keeps saying she’d trade everything if Duke could have made it out. I know they said he would have died from the smoke inhalation, but my mom just keeps saying “he would have been so scared and I didn’t protect him, I should have protected him.”

I live far enough away I had to fly up, but I flew up the day she called me so I can try to be here for her and my brother (he was living with my mom and loved Duke dearly). I just can’t believe I’ll never get to play with and love on that sweet, happy boy again.

Please hug your babies cause tomorrow is never guaranteed.