Former Louisiana Lawmaker and 9/11 Hero Left Homeless After Devastating House Fire

When the flames erupted in the early hours of Aug. 17 in Mansfield, Louisiana, a three‑generation family barely escaped with their lives. Former state Rep. Kenny Cox, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and decorated 9/11 Pentagon hero, watched his home go up in smoke while his 12‑year‑old daughter suffered serious burns.

“It burned me out of house and home; I lost everything I had,” Cox, 68, told USA Today Network, his voice hoarse from shock. “Nothing was left except the clothes we had on our backs. All the memories… you can’t replace that.”

The fire claimed the lives of the family’s two small dogs, which darted back inside trying to rescue the children. “My wife Candie has had a really hard time dealing with all of this,” Cox said, eyes glistening.

Seven people were living in the house at the time. Today they are scattered across a handful of hotel rooms, clutching the few belongings that survived the inferno. Officials say an electrical malfunction in the garage likely sparked the blaze.

Cox’s public service record is impressive. He served three terms in the Louisiana House from 2011‑2023 and was awarded the Soldier’s Medal—the nation’s highest peacetime decoration for valor—for pulling colleagues to safety inside the Pentagon on 9/11. “I had a flashback to 9/11 during the house fire,” he recalled, the trauma resurfacing in the worst possible way.

Friends and neighbors quickly organized a GoFundMe campaign, hoping to cover temporary housing, medical expenses for his daughter, and the cost of rebuilding. “We want to get Kenny and his family back on their feet,” said Tiara Johnson, the fundraiser’s organizer.

While his insurance claim is still under negotiation, Cox says he is trying to make an older property livable as a stop‑gap shelter for his family. “It’s a long road, but we’ll get there,” he affirmed, determination flickering like a candle in a dark room.