As Ernest Ogle walks around what's left of his family home on Ellis Ogle Drive in Gatlinburg, he holds a few treasures tight in his left hand.
To the average person, the items may look like a few rusty old hammer heads but to Ogle, they are family heirlooms.
“These two I’ve had for probably, I roughly guess, I’d say 35 years and they mean something to me, they raised my family," Ogle said with a smile, as he looked down at the two hammer heads in his hand.
Ogle used the hammers to build his home nestled next to his father's and sibling's homes on a plot of land they purchased back in the day for just $300.
The recent fires destroyed his home and the rest of the homes on his road. Many memories were wiped away in just a matter of hours.
"Without the help of the Lord, I would have never gotten through this," Ogle added.
When Ogle went back to his home to see what he could find, he had his heart set on finding the few hammers that mean most to him.
"These have a lot of sentimental value," he said.
Ogle couldn't do the search alone even though he insisted on finding them so a few volunteers with a recovery organization called Samaritan's Purse stepped in.
"They found both of them. I told them where to look," he said. "If it was possible, I would have found the hammers but thank the lord they found them for me."
Ogle was overjoyed to have his prized hammers back in his possession even though they are missing their handles.
"Next time you see them, they'll look like hammers. I'll clean them up," he said with a chuckle.
Ogle plans on using his hammers to rebuild his new home on the same property.
"I want to stay here. If the city will let me and the Lord will help me, I'll put it back up," he added.
Ogle knows he'll need some help along the way but he's hopeful for his future and he'll keep his hammers close by for comfort.
"I've had them so long I don't want to get rid of them," Ogle said with a smile.
For more information on Samaritan's Purse and the work they continue to do in Gatlinburg, click here.
