JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mary Jones says her 1-month-old being released from the hospital after breathing in too much smoke from a house fire is the best gift she's ever received.
Unfortunately, Jones and her other four children, whom she helped rescue from the fire early Sunday by literally throwing them out the window, no longer have a home to go to.
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Still, Jones said, her family's safety is more important.
One woman who was planning on taking her children's old clothes and toys with her on a mission trip to Haiti said that when she saw the family's story of survival on Channel 4, she decided Jones' children could really use the items. So she drove to Jacksonville from St. Augustine to deliver the items and give Jones a ride to the hospital Wednesday to pick up her baby boy.
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"I was watching this story, and I heard her say how she had to throw her babies out of the house, and I don't know how anybody cannot see that and not hear that and not be moved," said Marlene, who's one of dozens of Jacksonville residents who have shown an outpouring of support for the family since the fire.
Jones lost everything in the fire, including her car. So Marlene, a complete stranger, offered to take her to the hospital to pick up the baby, David Thomas.
David suffered smoke inhalation during the fire, but Wednesday, doctors said he was free to go.
Jones and Marlene took turns feeding David, who appeared to be awfully hungry. Then social workers from Wolfson Children's Hospital stopped by to donate a car seat.
People have given Jones and her family all kinds of things, including games, clothes and a free place to stay.
She still isn't sure where she and her children are going to live or even what they're going to eat for dinner each night, but with the dozens of friends she's made over the past few days, it appears she'll be just fine.
"We all have to pull together," Marlene said. "We're all in this game together. So we borrow cars, we do what we do."
"Thank you, and once I get on my feet, if you ever need me, I will be to your rescue and I will help people because people helped me," Jones said to her supporters.
If you'd like to help out this family, call Mary Jones at 904-520-2047.