Family's touching tribute to firefighters who saved sick baby's bedroom

A NSW family has shared their gratitude for the Rural Fire Service who saved their family home after suffering a series of tragedies.

Jemma Paewhenua shared a video thanking the NSW RFS and helicopter pilot Allan Tull, who lost his life fighting bushfires near Ulladulla on Friday, on Facebook.

In the video, Ms Paewhenua tells of her family’s tragedy over the past 12 months and how firefighters helped save her family home amid bushfires sweeping across the state’s south last week.

In February 2017, Ms Paewhenua, and her husband Heemi, lost their little boy Harrison to a bleed on his brain after he was born at 24 weeks.

She told Yahoo7 the family made “the hard decision to let him go”.

“Afterwards I started suffering from PTSD to the point where I was struggling with day to day activities let alone work,” Ms Paewhenua said.

“We opened a business a week before Harrison was born and I struggled to run it so we had to sell it at a massive loss.”

The couple made the decision to sell their Wollongong house to pay off their debt and moved in to a caravan on Ms Paewhenua’s grandparents’s property in Milton, further south.

New beginnings

Almost 12 months later, with Ms Paewhenua’s improving health, the couple discovered she had fallen pregnant again.

“I had lots of appointments with specialists at Randwick Royal Women’s Hospital and all looked to be going OK until my water broke on Mother’s Day,” she said.

“A week later Latrell was born.”

Latrell, like his brother, was also born prematurely, but at 23 weeks. The mum had to face her trauma “head-on” again.

Little Latrell had chronic lung disease and damage to his eyes but his mum said the hospital were “amazing”. Ms Paewhenua’s grandfather and husband built a room for the little boy as he recovered from illness but their battle was far from over.

Fires loom as family faces another tragedy

On Wednesday, the family faced more tragedy as bushfires ravaged the NSW south coast and closed in on their Milton home.

While they stayed in Randwick, the family were distressed at the thought of losing their home.

The mum said her grandfather fought alongside the NSW RFS.

“I was beside myself worried about him,” she said.

With fire surrounding the home, the NSW RFS battled the blaze. Pictures show the charred remains of trees just metres from the house and caravan.

The mum posted a video of the family’s triumph against tragedy and praised firefighters for their work in helping save the family home and her little boy.

It’s received more than 15,000 views, and she said, after meeting the firefighters on Monday, they actually thanked her for posting it.

“I was dumbfounded, they were the amazing ones!” she said.

“They said that my video made them feel as though their job is worthwhile and we’re the reason why they do what they do. I can’t believe that those guys are all volunteers and they save so many lives and family homes!”

Ms Paewhenua added the family had “nothing left” after what happened to them last year and were “making a new beginning” in their caravan.

She also paid tribute to firefighting helicopter pilot Allan Tull who lost his life battling fires on the NSW south coast on Friday.

“I didn’t know Allan but I feel connected to him through the sacrifice he made, risking his own life to help save others and their homes,” the mum said.

“I truly do hope that Allan’s legacy inspires others to help and act with loving kindness.”