THREE BIBLES SURVIVE FIRE THAT WRECKED A TEXAS FAMILY’S HOME

A fire significantly damaged the Coleman County, Texas, home of Amy McMillan, her husband Steven and their son while the family was on vacation in Colorado, and when they dug through the debris they found three Bibles that had survived. McMillan believes the fire started in a bedroom, most likely from an electrical source, and that is her own read, since she said it had not really been investigated when she spoke to KTXS.

The family had no insurance.

The trip ended the way no one plans a trip to end. McMillan said the family left on Father’s Day, and the first sign of trouble came through the security cameras at home.

“My cameras cut off a little after three o’clock. That’s when I started receiving phone calls,” she told KTXS.

McMillan said she was sure no one else had been on the property because of those cameras. “It was not caused by a gas leak or arson,” she said.

The animals, and the Bibles

The loss went beyond the building. “My son had four kittens and a mother cat. They did not make it out alive,” McMillan said.

The rest of the family’s animals were fine. That included Rocky, the family dog, who somehow got out of his cage in the front yard just in time. McMillan said the family was shocked he made it.

WJAC-TV, which also covered the story, identified Rocky as the family’s oldest Dalmatian and reported that two other animals were roaming the property and were safe.

Then came the part that gave the story its legs. “We did some digging and we actually found our Bibles. There are three of them. They’re a little wet, but they survived the fire,” McMillan said.

Her son’s Bible made it through the smoke, Local 12 reported. FOX10 carried the same account.

McMillan did not miss the irony. “It’s just ironic that the important things survived and the material objects were destroyed.”

She said the family’s faith, and having one another, mattered more to them than any house. “I’m just glad that we have each other,” she said. “God is our number one priority. He’s all that we need. We don’t need a house. We don’t need material things. As long as we’re all together, then that’s all that really matters.”

Local 12 reported that McMillan held back tears as she talked about how grateful the family was.

The town steps in

With no insurance to lean on, the McMillans faced a long rebuild, and their community moved quickly. KTXS reported a bake sale on July 4, 2026, and a brisket dinner fundraiser on July 11, 2026, with proceeds going to the family.

Double Dog Coffee also hosted a raffle featuring donations from local businesses. A GoFundMe page was set up to help with recovery.

KTXS published its report on June 30, 2026. FOX10 and WJAC-TV reported in early July that the McMillans were staying at a local inn as they started to rebuild.