John and Summer Clance have eight children and seven are living at home with them. They have two daughters and six sons. On August 26th 2026, it was a normal day. Some of the children had doctor's appointments and were not up early for school that morning . John had left for work and then Reid left for work. Their son Mack had left for school around 7am. Summer works from home and has started working around 8am. At 10:30 that morning three of the children had left with their grandmother to go to the doctor. This left the 6-year-old son and the 3-year-old daughter home with Summer. Summer kept working after the other children had left but was having computer trouble and was on the phone with her supervisor and the IT department. While she was waiting on a call back from the IT department and she began getting lunch together for the two children at home. They were having lunch when Summer went back to complete some more work. A few minutes later her 6-year-old ran to the back and told her he was seeing smoke. Summer experienced a right leg amputation this year and has not gotten a prosthetic yet. So some were gotten to her wheelchair to go check everything out. And by the time she got in front of the kitchen all she saw was black smoking flames coming from the living room. There was not a way to get out the side door where Summers ramp was at. So Summer dialed 911 and was able to give the phone to her 6-year-old and then have him go outside while she attempted to get out of the house. Summer called for the family dog. The smoke got thicker and the flame flames got closer. The heat was coming up and unfortunately the hallway that went to the front door had not been modified to fit a wheelchair through yet. So Summer got into a rolling chair and attempted to roll through the hallway. The smoke we got too thick so summer got on the floor and called to the front door. Once at the front door she shut the door behind herself and made sure the small ones were out of the house like she instructed. She told them to get as far away from the house as possible while she attempted to get down the stairs. She lifted herself with her arms down the stairs and then got to the end of the porch. She had instructed her 6-year-old to leave the phone on 911's call on the porch. All she had him run. The children were safe out of the way of the home on the other side of the property but within her sight. While she was on the phone with 911 she sent a message to her husband to tell him to come home because the house was on fire. He contacted his brother-in-law who is with the Bibb County fire department. Michael Favors, the brother-in-law, happened to be home. Just a few doors down that day. So he rushed to the house to help. He was able to get there to make sure that Summer and the children were safe. An across the street neighbor named Melissa Castillo saw the smoke and come rushing over. She helped summer by getting the children in her SUV and driving them down the driveway further away from the home.

By this time the home was almost fully engulfed in flames. Then all the First Responders came showing up shortly after. There was no way to save any of the home. The home was completely destroyed along with all of their property. Even the family vehicle was caught up in the fire. With God's protection and His grace He was able to make sure the children, the dog, and Summer were all safe and out of the home. Everything they own was destroyed but the community and village surrounding them have come together and found different ways to support and love the family. For now, John and Summer and a couple of the children are staying in a hotel and some of the children are staying with family and friends just to make sure they are able to get back and forth to school while John and Summer try to find housing to stay in while they attempt to rebuild everything. They hope to find somewhere that's convenient for the kids to get back and forth to school and that they can all be back together under one roof soon.