PORTER, Texas – A terrible fire in Porter is hitting close to home for the entire community. The owner is a Little League coach who led his team to a successful season. The World Series-bound squad nearly missed out on the trip of a lifetime because of what was almost lost in the fire.
The Montgomery County Ballers have gone 18-4 this season and team thought they would be all going to the World Series of baseball in Pensacola, Florida, next month. But Monday morning a huge fire broke out at the coach's house and inside that flaming building was all the money meant to pay the teams way to Florida.
The head coach of the 13-and-under team, Travis Moore, and his family watched as their home went up in flames.
"I'm just glad our kids are OK. I mean, thank God, everything else can be replaced," Moore said.
The fast-moving blaze destroyed about everything Moore and his family have, including many of the championship trophies the team has won -- the team that means everything to the coach.
"I'm very proud of him. He's been a great brother, wonderful coach. He loves those boys like his own. He puts in a lot of work for those boys," said Moore's sister, Tammy.
Most of what Moore and his family had is a complete loss. So too, it was thought, was a box containing $1,100 in donations just raised this past weekend to help send the baseball team to the World Series of Baseball in Florida.
"It was in our bathroom under the counter in a shoe box. Seeing the flames, we pretty much thought it was gone," Moore said.
Lo and behold, there it was in the midst of a pile of ashes. A firefighter discovered the money intact. A couple minutes later he came out with two handfuls of cash.
"I couldn't believe it. Finally something good happened," said Moore.
The coach, his wife and their two sons lost their family dog in this blaze.
The Ballers will be playing at the state championships next week in Spring.
A firefighter did suffer a leg injury while fighting the fire. He was taken to the hospital. No word yet on his condition.