AS the Singleton community continues to unite as one in the wake of Wednesday's house fire, which tragically took the lives of three children, we must spare a thought for the family.
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Understandably, the efforts of neighbours and firefighters have been recognised by Singleton couple Johnny and Margaret Atkins as has the generosity of the public with more than $230,000 raised for the victims on a GoFundMe page.
Yet these feats are severely outweighed by the devastation of the tragedy as the elderly couple now prepare to bid farewell to three of their great-grandchildren.
"All the money in the world is not going to change anything," Mrs Atkins declared while fighting back tears on Friday afternoon.
"The family is broken and nothing will ever repair it."
Both Kara Atkins, the couple's seventh of 11 grandchildren, and her eight-year-old daughter Bayley survived after quick-thinking neighbours pulled the pair through a window as the fire took hold.
Sadly, the heat from the flames cut short their desperate attempts to continue the rescue.
Eleven-year-old Blake Atkins would be the first to perish.
He was Johnny and Margaret's fourth of 18 great-grandchildren when he entered the world on September 4, 2007.
His twin sisters Matylda and Scarlett were rescued by firefighters who were called to the property at 3.30am.
Both were taken to Singleton Hospital, but they also died as a result of their injuries.
"When we think of the twins, we think of April 2013, when our son Robert passed away at age 55," Mr Atkins recalled.
Robert, who was the eldest of the couple's four children, had suffered down syndrome his entire life and was restricted to a Dungog nursing home in his remaining three years.
"Every fortnight young Blake would be in the car with us to Dungog and he used to get car sick going over the big hill there," Mr Atkins continued.
"He would sit there with Robert, he thought the world of him and Robert thought the world of him, too.
"Then at Robert's funeral Kara, Blake's mother, announced that she was expecting twins.
"This brought us to 11 great grandchildren by the time they arrived (September 19, 2013) and we welcomed our 18th great grandchild in February this year."
Mr Atkins has also confirmed to the Singleton Argus that his granddaughter Kara had recently been moved from the intensive care unit to a ward at the John Hunter Hospital.
Meanwhile, the tragedy's remaining victim, eight-year-old Bayley Atkins, appears to be on the mend, according to her great grandfather.
"Bayley is jumping about like a cricket I'm pleased to say, she could have come home on Thursday but she went with Chris (Rinkin) to Ronald McDonald House," he added.
The Singleton Argus
