Chance meeting brings burn victims, firefighters together

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Linda Norcross, assistant fire chief Gary Jarriel and Emma.

By Justin Burrows - email

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Firefighters with the Southside Fire Department rarely get to put a face to the families they help.

But that changed when Emma and her mother Linda Norcross came into their lives.

In June, the Norcross family was living in Trenton, Georgia when their home caught fire. "The walls just blew off, everything blew off," said Linda.

The fire destroyed the home and Linda, Emma and Linda's son Ewan, were taken to the burn center in Augusta. Ewan later died.

But once Linda and Emma were released, they moved to Savannah.

That's when they met members of the Southside Fire Department who were raising money for victims at the burn center.

"Everything happens for a purpose and I know there was a reason we were there and they were there that day," said Linda. "The fact that they were associated with the very place we were treated, that doesn't happen."

Linda and Emma have had a long road to recovery, but Southside assistant fire chief Gary Jarriel says, they haven't lost the Christmas spirit.

"This little girl has stolen my heart," said Jarriel. "I was wondering what I could do for the family to find out that at the end of the day, it's what they did for me that captured me."

Jarriel says Emma changed his world when she told Santa Clause what she wanted.

"She told Santa she wanted a family for Christmas and at that point, we knew the fire department was going to be Emma's family," he said.

And for both of these families, there couldn't be a better gift this holiday season.