Local Brunswick restaurant helps family after tragic loss

OCEAN ISLE, NC (WWAY)– In the weekend of having faith, one restaurant gives back hope to a family that lost so much.

On Saturday, “Pirate’s Deck” a local restaurant in Ocean Isle, helped raise a fundraiser event for the Presnell family.

Last month, Dustin Presnell and Jessica Clarke lost their two youngest children, 3-year-old Paisley and 1-year-old Landon, in the fire on Grist Creek Wynd.

Dustin and the oldest daughter, Letty Moore, both suffered third-degree burns and were sent to the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Chapel Hill.

Jessica Clarke escaped uninjured.

One month later, the family is still trying to get back on their feet. With the help of the community, and “Pirate’s Deck”, they are receiving support and donations to help them fund their new home.

From 1-4pm, The restaurant held raffles, silent auctions, sold food, and even sweet treats, to help the family in any way they can. Each dollar earned, went back to the family, in hopes of getting enough to get a new home, and any other thing.

Brooke Cartrette is Dustin Presnell’s sister, and she gives us an update on how they are doing.

“Honestly, their healing has been nothing short of miraculous. The doctors anticipated it was going to be a minimum of two months,” said Cartrette. “My brother was discharged before even the two-week marker, and Letty didn’t even make it to the four-week marker. They have been doing very well. Letty has been walking so well, she is doing great with her occupational therapist.”

After the immense amount of support that Cartrette is seeing, she is now working on her own way to help, by making an organization that helps others. Cartrette says she plans to name it after Paisley and Landon, to honor them.