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Lightning Hits Greenville Home in Second Round of Storms

As cleanup's underway following Wednesday's storms in Greenville, one family is facing a total loss.

Justin and Krystal Sutton believe it was a lightning strike that hit their home sometime between 10 and 11 p.m., engulfing the home in flames before fire crews could save it.

They and their three children were staying with family in Royse City after the first round of storms knocked down a tree in their front yard, taking the electrical box and power along with it.

Sutton says it was a phone call from a friend that led her to search Facebook for information about a house fire on their street. That's where she found a live stream of the home they'd lived in for 10 years burning to the ground.

"There was just so much that led up to nobody being home. So by the grace of God, we're very grateful," said Krystal Sutton.

The Suttons say documents stashed away in a fire proof safe along with a drawer holding their children's most precious keepsakes were the only things spared by the flames.

But less than 24 hours after the fire, friends, family and community members have stepped up with monetary donations, diapers, toys and clothing for the couple's four-year-old twins and two-year-old daughter.

"You think about the two or three times you've had a conversation, and you see that circle back around whether it be work family or church family or regular family or friends. Everybody's like, 'What do you need from us? What can we do?' It's huge. It's just the whole community," said Justin Sutton.

Though the house has been in Krystal's family since her mother was a little girl, the couple was planning to prepare it to sell to move closer to Justin's new job in Sulpher Springs.

"You know that all of this material stuff is not the home. Our home is with our kids, wherever that may be and with each other," said Justin.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe for the family.

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