WOODWAY, Texas — It's a story of hope for a popular barbeque joint just outside of Waco. Helberg Barbecue is getting back on its feet after a devastating fire that happened on Sunday, Nov. 26.
"It won't be the same Helberg that we know and love and remember," Co-owner Phillip Helberg said. "But it's the same people. It's the same food. That's what really matters."
This tragedy has turned into something good with the helping hands of Central Texans who have shown the owners support like no other.
"We're left just speechless by people's generosity and just the way that the Lord moves through people and their hearts," Helberg said.
The fire was reported at the restaurant by the China Spring Volunteer Fire Department around 8 p.m., but the owner Phillip Helberg told 6 News the fire may have started hours before.
Helberg says when he started getting calls about the fire and arrived at his restaurant around 7:30 p.m., his trailer and the inside of the restaurant was already fully engulfed in flames.
He believes the fire started in the kitchen and then spread to the inside of the building. It left the Helberg's in complete devastation.
"The first night, my wife and I got home, and we just sat on the floor in our kitchen, eating cereal talking to each other about if this going to be worth it," Helberg said. "You know, we built this from the ground up over the course of five years."
It was just moments later when the Helberg's were overwhelmed with support and love.
"I woke up Monday morning and looked at my wife and said, 'Should we set up a GoFundMe account?' and she said, 'Our friend already did that for us,'" Helberg said.
It didn't stop there. Helberg says they are borrowing a trailer from Barnett's Whiskey House to get their weekly operation back up and running out in Speegleville.
"It's going to be our fastest hope of being able to start serving barbecue again," Helberg said. "That was just, that was monumental. I lack words to be able to express the gratitude for something like that."
That means their team will be able to move forward with Christmas preorders and catering orders.
"As soon as next weekend, we can start cooking again," Helberg said.
What could have been a setback ended up turning into a miracle.
"God is good," Helberg said. "He is faithful. He is who he says he is. I want everybody to be watching this and just seeing what God's doing through this because it is a restorative story of hope."
A GoFundMe page has also been created to assist the business. Nearly $80,000 have been raised out of their $100,000 goal on Dec. 1.
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