A Covington family left homeless by a Dec. 7 fire is thankful they still have each other this holiday season.

Joanna and Kevin Leonard were out of town when they received a phone call from Joanna’s mother alerting them their home at 79441 Mayfield Road was on fire. They immediately returned home, only to find a burnt shell of the place they have called home since 1999.

The family was able to salvage a few special pictures and video from when the couple’s three sons were small, but not much else. “The boys miss their things but otherwise are doing very well,” said Joanna. “We just thank God our family is safe.”

Joanna works in a local restaurant, while Kevin is self-employed, designing concrete floors, countertops, pool decks and more. He had spent several years renovating the mobile home, installing stained concrete flooring and countertops and enclosing one area to make a family office.

The family belongs to the Freedom House Church, which has set up a fund to help them. They have spent the last several weeks shuttling back and forth between the homes of their in-laws and have expressed their appreciation to members of St. Tammany Fire District 6 for their efforts in trying to save their home.

FD6 Chief Harold Dutsch said the blaze appeared to be electrical in nature, having started near the central heating unit.

“We had it contained in less than half an hour, but the damage was pretty extensive,” said Dutsch. “It’s a double-wide mobile home, and one end received basically smoke and water damage, while the other was completely destroyed.”

To donate to the Leonard Family Fire Fund, mail checks to the Freedom House Church, 79236 Louisiana Highway 40, Covington, 70435, or visit www.freedomhousechurch.net.