By Briana Collier| November 18, 2020 at 5:50 PM EST - Updated November 18 at 7:57 PM
BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - A Pembroke family was just released from the hospital after their house caught fire early Monday morning.
The family say though it will be a long rebuilding process, they’re thankful to still be alive.
“I yelled for Brian, I yelled all of their names. Brian, Biangi, Italia, Saraia, ya’ll get up now there’s a fire,” Crystal Ridulfo said.
Ridulfo and her son Brian are still recovering from cuts and burns from what they describe as a nightmare, watching their house burn as they tried to get their family out safely.
“At first, I didn’t know what was going on, my mom told me to get out of the house. I said well why is it so hot and I stood up and when I stood up it was really hot, so I went down to the ground,” Brian said.
He says he stayed in the house to not only make sure everyone was out, but to also try to save their dog Minnie, who didn’t make it out.
“I kept on hearing glass break, so I heard my mom and my uncle call my name and so I went to the window and I got out and I told my mom that the dog was gone.”
Brian had to go to the hospital. Doctors inserted tubes down his throat to get his lungs flushed from the smoke he inhaled.
Through it all, both say it’s an experience they’ll never forget.
“You don’t really know what are the right and proper steps to take, but I just knew that I needed to get them out and I was going to do whatever I had to get them out.”
Right now, the family says they plan on staying with a family friend until they can get back on their feet. They’re encouraging everyone to make sure they have a working smoke detector in their house.
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