An Ohio pastor died along with his two sons in a tragic house fire after saving his wife and two other children from the fire.
Mark Robinette, 55, jumped back into the burning house after realizing his two sons Gideon, 17, and Liam, 10, were still trapped inside.
The three never made it out and were discovered “holding on to each other,” the pastor’s cousin, Haley McGuire, wrote in a Facebook post.
Firefighters were dispatched to the family's home in Pickaway County, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Columbus, around 12:22 p.m. Tuesday.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but investigators said there was “no evidence of foul play,” according to a news release.
“Three remarkable people, and without them there would be a hole in the world,” Mark's brother-in-law Geoffery Trapini told WBNS-TV.
Mark Robinette died along with his two sons, Liam and Gideon, in a house fire early Tuesday morning in Pickaway County, Ohio. Pictured: Mark, 55, and his son Liam, 10
The father and pastor ran back into the flames after managing to save his wife and two of their children. In the picture: Markus and his son Gideon, 17
Firefighters were dispatched to the family's home in Pickaway County, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Columbus, around 12:22 p.m. Tuesday. The cause of the fire is under investigation
Trapini revealed that Mark managed to save the rest of his family by pushing them out a window before running back into the house.
The rest of the family is currently staying in a hotel and a memorial service has been arranged in front of the charred home, WBNS-TV reported.
“His wife and six other children are now without anything.” “They lost everything in the fire, including phones,” McGuire said in her post.
Mark and his wife Andrea have raised eight children together – six biological and two adopted.
Liam is remembered as a sweet boy who “everyone loved,” while Gideon was preparing for college and dreaming of working in the ministry like his father.
Gideon also enjoyed reading the Bible, learning Spanish, working in the sound booth at his church, and reading poetry.
“He was a passionate seeker of truth with an infectious grin that lit up every room he entered,” his obituary said.
Liam loved animals, playing checkers, drawing and sending letters to his grandmother.
Mark had a total of eight children with his wife Andrea (middle). Two of the eight were adopted
Several GoFundMe pages have been created to raise money for the family as Mark's wife and six other children plan to rebuild their home. Pictured: Mark with his wife Andrea
“His family was so grateful for the gift of our little boy,” Liam’s obituary reads.
Mark was pastor of Foundation Church in Mt.Sterling, which he founded in 2020. He was also director and CEO of Mission to the Americas, a fundraising platform for “robust Christian ministries” in need of help.
According to his Facebook page, he was also director and CEO of Mission To Myanmar and previously worked as a reporter at The Daily Record and Portsmouth Daily Times.
During his time in the ministry, Mark frequently traveled on missions to help those in need and grew close to the many children and families he helped.
“He was involved in a lot of things. When he saw a need, he got involved. “When he saw people in need, he was involved,” Trapani said.
According to Trapani, his family also accompanied him on his mission trips, where they helped homeless, mentally ill and people involved in human trafficking groups.
Liam is remembered as a sweet boy who “everyone loved”
The three never made it out and were discovered “holding on to each other,” the pastor’s cousin, Haley McGuire, wrote in a Facebook post
Gideon was preparing for college and dreamed of working in the ministry like his father
Nainy Thang, vice president of the Myanmar Evangelical Christian Alliance, posted a heartfelt tribute to Mark online along with pictures of his children hugging the pastor.
“My children miss you so much, my big brother.” “We know you are in heavenly glory now,” Thang said.
A vigil was held Tuesday evening for the father and his two sons, and two GoFundMe pages raised money to help the family rebuild their home and their lives.
“Their house and all their belongings have been completely destroyed and it's the dead of winter. What they're left with is the night clothes they were wearing, their vehicle and that's all,” said Shonna Nitzel, who started the fundraising page for the family.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal's Fire and Explosion Investigation Division, the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office and the Coroner's Office.