MARISSA, Ill. — First responders risk their lives every day for all of us. But it's not every day they get called to put out a fire that hits close to home.
"The initial onset hits you and your dealing with that and you try to put it aside but you're dealing with everything all at the same time so that makes it difficult," said Tim Smith.
Smith has been a firefighter for the Marissa Fire Department for more than 20 years.
But he said fighting his only child's house fire was different.
"We're very close. She won't admit it but as soon as she saw me, she came right at me," said Tim.
The fire burned down everything including the roof and the walls. The only things left were the stairs and the bottom infrastructure and of course memories.
Kyra Smith said every memorable moment in her life has something in common. Her father was there.
"I'm thinking of when he's been there for my graduations and for all the parties and all of the stuff that I've admitted I didn't need his help with," she said.
Friday, Jan. 11, just before noon, the most important man in her life showed up again.
"I was like 'This isn't happening, this is going to be a dream,' I don't remember going to sleep at all that night," said Kyra.
This time in uniform to try and save his daughter's burning mobile home.
"I found out right when I showed up, I didn't realize it was hers until I got there. So when I showed up and saw her crying that's when I knew," said Tim.
Several fire departments were sent to Kyra's home.
Video — recorded from a firefighter's helmet — shows just what they were up against.
"We had two buildings to protect also so there was a lot going on. We had three different directions we were going at it from," Tim said.
Kyra says she lost everything, old things and new, including some things of her grandmother's belongings.
The only thing she took with her were the clothes on her back and some comforting words from her hero.
"Unfortunately been doing this this long, it's gone, you know that's the first thing I told her. There's nothing you can do, don't think about it, its gone. You cant bring it back but you're healthy you're alive that's all that matters," said Tim.
Kyra was already outside of the home when firefighters arrived. She said everything her dad taught her kicked in instantly. A relative has now set up a fundraiser to help Kyra rebuild.