"The homeless have always been on my heart."
After living here for more than 30 years, Jefferies' house burned down Sunday while she was cooking for the less fortunate as a volunteer for the Bread of Life Ministries.
"I was wearing my robe because I figured I could put my casserole in the oven," Jeffries said, "...and as I put the casserole in the oven, I would just jump in the shower."
Instead, she says she suffered first-degree burns on her legs, chest and face as she watched her house go up in flames. She says a neighbor tried to comfort her but she was in shock.
"I was looking forward to my senior years, living out my life, enjoying it. But there was another plan."
Jefferies's son Landen Ware says they believe the fire stemmed from an explosion that was sparked when Jefferies turned on her gas to cook. The Sanford Fire Department reports Jefferies lost about $15,000 worth of property in the accidental blaze.
Ware says it's the invaluable work they put into renovating the house over the past year that they really lost. The family says they had already been displaced four times because of issues with the roof and spent about $35,000 upgrading it.
The family had only moved back into the home in October.
"My biggest concern is just getting my mom to a place where she can come home, kick her shoes off and be comfortable, which was my concern with trying to get her home after the flood as well as like the work and things that I did with my bare hands..." Ware said.
The family has set up an online fundraiser for help from their Sanford community. They say they're leaning on their faith to get through this hard time.
"I'm just happy that I would love to talk about it because it could have gone another way," Jefferies said.
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