Feb. 01--Kylie Watson is doing well, the Rev. Adam Brown said from the podium at a memorial service Friday evening at Calvary Baptist Church in Central City.
The 11-year-old girl is in stable condition at Monroe Carrell Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. She suffered severe burns in a fire early Thursday morning at her home on Motes Road in Depoy, just west of Greenville.
Her father, Chad Watson, 36, is in critical but stable condition at Vanderbilt.
Kylie has begun to eat a little, said Brown, Chad Watson's cousin. She's been communicating by writing on a dry erase board. One of her questions, Brown said, was "Are my dad and I the only ones left?"
"She needed confirmation," Brown said. "She got peace tonight."
Chad Watson's wife, LaRae "Nikki" Watson, 35, and their children, Madison Watson, 15; Kaitlyn Watson, 14; Morgan Watson, 13; Emily Watson, 9; Samuel Watson, 8; Raegan Watson, 6; and 4-year-old twins Mark Watson and Nathaniel Watson were killed in the fire.
"I don't want to mislead anybody," Brown said. "He's laying at Vanderbilt with his skin ripped from his hands, facial bruises like you wouldn't believe. He proved he is a hero. He walked into that house three times, according to witnesses, frantically searching for his children.
"Chad is not in good shape, but he has hope," Brown said.
The fire was reported at 2:01 a.m. Thursday. Units from the Graham, Beechmont and Greenville fire departments were on the scene and firefighters from Central City were called for extra assistance. The fire was extinguished just after 5 a.m.
Brown, the pastor of Temple Baptist Church Central City, shared other memories of Chad Watson. They grew up together, like brothers, he said. They fought like brothers. And they argued, mostly about Bible doctrine. Chad Watson was also a preacher.
"I am angry. I'm sad. I'm mad and everything in between," Brown said. "I don't believe God's grace is predicated on the absence of loss or pain, but shown to us during loss and pain. ... God's grace is about the only thing (Chad and Kylie) have to go on."
Chad and LaRae Watson were high school sweethearts, said Ashlye Caskey, a member of the church who attended high school with them in the 1990s. They attended the church in their younger years and became members again with their children about a year ago.
Caskey's daughter, Gracie Wilson, 13, and Morgan Watson had classes together at Muhlenberg North Middle School. The other Watson children attended Longest Elementary and Muhlenberg County High School East Campus.
"At first, I couldn't get it in my head that this happened," Gracie said. "We just saw them Wednesday night and I didn't think that would be the last time I saw them."
"This tragedy has woke up our church," said Macy Harris, 12, who also attends the middle school. "We just gotta have faith."
The girls said they'll miss the smiles and hugs of the Watsons, especially the twins.
One of the boys liked to wear his jeans, the other liked to dress up in button-down shirts and "church shoes," said Mary Sparks, a church member.
"It just makes you want to grab your kids and grandkids and hug 'em tight," she said. "Those kids were so precious."
Sparks said she enjoyed Chad Watson's sermon Sunday. It was the first of his sermon series on family.
"He got your attention,"said the Rev. Tim Burden, pastor of Calvary.
Chad Watson is a newspaper carrier for the Messenger-Inquirer, a construction worker and children's church director at Calvary.
Memorial funds have been set up at Old National Bank, First Kentucky Bank and First Security Bank, Brown said.
Muhlenberg County Sheriff Curtis McGehee said the family has also gotten support from outside of the area. The sheriff's department was contacted by The Band Perry, a Grammy-nominated country trio who offered to cover funeral costs, he said. No funeral plans have been made yet.
"This is the type of tragedy you hope never strikes your community; it's an enormous loss," said McGehee, who pastored the church from 2000 to 2003. "It's overwhelming to see the outpouring of support and prayers from across the country."
An unidentified person in New York also contacted Rep. Brent Yonts of Greenville, offering to help with funeral expenses, according to Pam Burden, wife of the Calvary pastor.
"The community is so grateful and my hope is that there will be enough raised for Kylie's college fund," she said. "She has a lot to deal with and that would be a blessing. That would be one less thing for her to stress over. I hope there will be enough that she can go anywhere she wants and be anything she wants."
According to a press release from the Kentucky State Police, autopsies were concluded Friday at the State Medical Examiner's Office in Madisonville. The nine deaths were the result of smoke inhalation.
Eight of the victims were found in what officials believe was the home's master bedroom and the ninth person was found 10 to 15 feet away, as previously reported in the Messenger-Inquirer.
Nine white candles flickered on a table at the front of the church. Two green candles, for Chad and Kylie Watson, remained unlit until of the end of the program.
Quiet cries filled the church as people blew out their candles and embraced each other.
"This has brought our church and our community closer together," Tim Burden said. "I love and appreciate (the Watsons) so much and I'll do whatever I can to keep them fresh in people's minds."
Angela Oliver, 691-7360, [email protected]
Copyright 2014 - Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
