This is an open letter of thanks to all our good friends of St. John, St. James and St. Charles for coming to our assistance.

Sunday morning, Dec. 17, we were awoken with a fire consuming our mobile home on Goshen Lane in Reserve.

My wife and I, our daughter, our grandson, his fiancée and their two children, ages 4 and 5, were able to escape with only our nightclothes.

The only injuries sustained were second degree burns on my wife’s right arm and first degree burns on my right arm and neck.

With God taking each of our hands and leading us safely from the flames, we are all alive today. Amen.

Our heartfelt THANKS go first to our God, then to all the first responders — each and every one of them.

A very special thanks goes to the First Baptist Church of Gramercy, St. Peter Catholic School and Church, Progressive Masonic Lodge, Knights of Columbus of St. Peter and AOL and to all the individuals who came forth with money, clothes and especially toys for my two great grandchildren here at Christmas time.

These people are too many to name, and many who I do not know. Good friends and neighbors, I extend again, a very BIG THANK YOU from each of us for being at our back.

— Jim Cogswell & the Cogswell and Collins families of Reserve