NASHVILLE — A Nash County family who has done so much to help others now needs your help.

The Prince family's house caught fire Thursday. Judy Prince and her five children were inside their home when flames quickly spread through the rooms.

Prince nearly died in the fire. She helped her kids escape but was briefly trapped inside by the heat.

"We were out there waiting in the field, and family members came by. They helped. But nobody knew if mommy was out, and they were screaming and were going to try to find her. They couldn't get in, and mom was already out," said victim Amanda Prince.

Judy Prince says there was no time to hesitate.

"I would describe it as a living hell," says Prince. "I literally thought I was dead. I've seen movies and things that happen, I didn't think I was coming out. I didn't think I could get the door open. I couldn't open the door. I couldn't break the glass because the fire would feed towards the oxygen."

Prince and her children were able to escape unharmed, but the house, and its contents, are a total loss. Now, they have nothing.

"You name it. Crib, walker, strollers, swings. All that little stuff that you take for granted is gone," said Prince.

The children are so shaken up that they will not even go back to the house.

The family is well-known in their community for helping others. Over the holidays, they helped two other families that had less than they did. Now, the community is getting together to help the family move on.

"The Prince family got quite involved in that from the stand-point of giving clothing and also financially, which they are in need of at this time," said pastor David Butts.

The family's church in Rocky Mount is organizing an effort to help them. They say they need a lot things, especially baby items and stuff for the kids.

If you would like to help, you can call Living Faith Fellowship in Rocky Mount at(252) 937-2999.

Drop boxes for clothes and other items are being set up in Nash County as well as Raleigh and Durham.

The Prince children's ages are as follows: a 10-year-old girl, a 7-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl, a 2-year-old boy and a 6-month-old boy.