Memorial service honors siblings killed in Tamina fire
CONROE — Hundeds gathered at a memorial Friday night honoring the lives of three children who died a week earlier in a fire at their family’s home in the tiny community of Tamina.
The overflow crowd at City Cathedral Church in Conroe grieved for 13-year-old Terrance “TJ” Mitchell, 6-year-old Kaila Mitchell and 5-year-old Kyle Mitchell, who died after a fire roared through the two-story wooden home they and several other family members were sleeping in before sunrise last Friday.
Despite the sadness that filled each heart, hands shot up into the air in praise and worship. Pastors danced with the family and community in attendance while praying for comfort and describing God as a “healer.”
Faith has been a guiding light for the surviving family members. The mother of the children, April Mitchell, smiled as Conroe ISD Vogel Intermediate math teacher Paula Hall remembered TJ as a “star.”
“We all knew Terrance was going to be a star,” Hall said. “I recognize now that his stardom had to be in heaven because it is the only place with a stage that’s big enough.”
One unidentified police officer who tried to rescue the children told the crowd “we tried everything we could. Unfortunately, it was not enough. We will be here with you, for you, whatever you need, I don’t care if it is 30 years
from now — we will be here for you.”
Funeral services for the children are scheduled for next Saturday at 11 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in The Woodlands.
According to family members who survived the blaze, the children’s grandfather — Bobby Johnson Jr. — broke out a secondfloor window and was able to get most of the family out, but they were unable to get through the flames to save the children, who were trapped in their bedroom on the other side of the second floor.
The 59-year-old Johnson, his wife, 65-year-old Carrie, and their son, 34-year-old Jarvis Johnson, were all hurt in the rescue attempt, though they were able to save a fourth child.
A failed deal with Shenandoah would have brought a water main within a dozen yards of the Johnson property, according to James Leveston Sr., president of the Old Tamina Water Supply Corp. “We would have had a hydrant right there,” he said in the aftermath of the blaze. “It would have been right by that house.”
Bobby Johnson is the pastor of Thergood Memorial Church of God in Christ in Willis, while his son, Jarvis, is a deacon. The Johnsons are descendants from an original settler of Tamina and lived on a road named for one of their ancestors. The community is a Freedmen’s Town formed after Emancipation.
Meanwhile, a gofundme account set up to help the family had raised about $75,000 through late Friday. The fund has a goal of raising $300,000.
“Heartbroken. Very sorry for your family’s loss. Will send prayers for your family,” wrote donor David Abbasi, who contributed $1,000 to the account.
Others left similar touching notes, with donor Joan Phillips writing, “God bless this beautiful family. I love your heartwarming smiles.”
At the service family offered words of encouragement.
“I give thanks we are not here mourning the loss of an entire family, of all four children ..., said relative Eric Johnson. “The world is not going to understand how we can be strong ... praise God.”