A mother and father in Arkansas endured an unfathomable loss when their son tragically died in a house fire this weekend.
After the blaze erupted on Saturday night in Gentry, Arkansas, Kurtis and Caitlin Sharp’s 23-month-old son Loki Nicholi Mason went back inside to try to save his pet puppy, People reports. “I just wanna stop here and say never take your children for granted,” Kurtis wrote alongside a photo of his son on Facebook. “Cherish every waking moment with them!!!! We love u bubba and we know your [sic] in a better place!!!!”
Gentry Fire Chief Vester Cripps verified the death of the toddler to Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Kurtis, Caitlin, and their children were outside of the house when it caught on fire, Cripps told the outlet. While they were trying to call for help and extinguish the flames, the parents didn’t see that Loki had gone back into the home to save their dog.
The toddler became trapped by the fire. His body was later recovered by firefighters, who have determined that the fire was caused by an electrical issue. An investigation of the fire is ongoing.
Following the catastrophe, Kurtis took to Facebook to share his heartbreak. “Fly high baby boy u are extremely missed and loved,” he wrote on Monday. “We know ur home and it kills us to see u have to go so soon. But mommy and daddy and all ur siblings and family love u dearly.”
Now, many of the parents’ friends and family have started fundraisers to assist with funeral expenses and finding a new home. One is a Facebook fundraiser called the Sharp Family Restoration, and the other is a GoFundMe.
