ROWAN COUNTY, N.C.,None — A 97-year old man in Rowan County is improving after being rescued from his farm house Christmas Eve.
The man's son, Robert Knox III, said reality is just starting to set in for the family.
His childhood home in Cleveland is now a charred structure.
Knox said his father's caretaker was heating oil to fry chicken when it spilled, sparking a fire that spread throughout part of the house.
When the caretaker couldn't put the fire out, she and Knox's daughter-in-law tried to save his father.
"They were able to drag or carry him out this door and when we got here he was in the yard," Knox said.
Knox said his father built the house 70 years ago from pine trees on his property.
The type of wood is one reason the fire spread so quickly.
While the home is destroyed, Knox said that's not the worst damage.
"It's just such a loss. So many memories are gone," he said.
The farm land is a part of their family history. The Knox family has worked the soil on the land since 1758.
"Work has always been a big part of our family. On the farm, there was always work to do," Knox said.
With more hard work, Knox believes they'll rebuild a home for many more generations.
Knox said his family has been touched by the outpouring of love from local agencies like the Red Cross and their neighbors.
His father is now staying with him.
WSOC
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
