They had just gone out to the corner gas station for 15 minutes. They never expected to return and find their house in flames.

Ray Lucas and his girlfriend, Shi’ann, left early Saturday morning and came back to a devastating scene.

“The house was engulfed in smoke, I saw my mom and my niece were standing at the door and they were frantic,” Ray said.

But Ray’s 18-month-old twin daughters weren’t with his mom outside and that’s when he knew they were still asleep and trapped inside the basement.

Ray rushed inside the burning house to save his daughters.

He’s their daddy and he would do anything to save them, including going inside a burning house unprotected.

Ray couldn’t see anything in front of him. But he knew his house and he knew how to get to the basement to his daughters. He only had one mission. And he simply relied on his memory to get them out.

Shi’ann tried to run inside as well but she was overcome by the smoke and had to crawl out of the house.

Because of sheer determination, he was able to rescue his daughters and hauled them out of the burning house.

Milan, one of the twins, suffered some severe burns and smoke inhalation but was fine otherwise. Malaysia, her twin sister, was not as lucky. She suffered severe burns on her left arm and on her head.

Ray was also injured badly.

“I was temporarily blind for three days and they said it was a miracle I could see,” Ray explained. “I’ve got burns on my arms, but for the most part, everyone is still here.”

But they are all alive, Ray, the twins, Shi’ann, Ray’s mother, and Ray’s niece, and they are grateful for a second chance at life.

Their house was also not as lucky and they lost everything.

Because of his injuries as well, Ray is unable to work and provide for his family. And it breaks his heart, especially since they lost their house in the fire as well as their prized possessions.

And to top it off, the medical bills are piling up.

Just the day before, they had to deal with flooding inside the house. And they suspect this played a role in the fire that happened.

One of their friends, Gwendolyn Powell-Dixon, helped them out by organizing a GoFundMe page to help them rebuild their life.

“The family is seeking to obtain a home and furnishing for the home and take care their baby’s needs short and long term needs, clothing for the parents and babies and paying for medical supplies and medical bills. The family states that they will use the donations and contributions wisely to fulfill their needs,” Gwendolyn wrote on the page.

They had a goal of raising $40,000.

But, despite everything happening in the world, people still choose to be kind. They ended up raising close to $500,000 in a month. Safe to say, this amount is a big help for Ray and Shi’ann to rebuild their family and home again.

Hear the account of what happened through Ray’s words when you watch the video below.

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Source: YouTube – FOX 2 Detroit, FOX 2 Detroit, GoFundMe