Cabela's helps family displaced by fire

POCAHONTAS COUNTY, WV (WCHS/WVAH) — Jacob Bickford loves to fish, but that's been the last thing on his mind recently after his Pocahontas County home caught fire and burned down.

Jacob and his family weren't home at the time, but sadly, they lost a few pets and everything they owned.

"We walked away literally with the clothes on our back and that was it", Jacob’s mom, Alycia Bickford said.

At Green Bank Elementary, where Jacob attends school, the school counselor decided to try to help somehow. He had seen Jacob over the past few months carrying around a Bass Pro Shops catalog and knew he had lost hundreds of dollars’ worth of fishing supplies.

"I called Cabela’s down in Charleston, where I have a friend -- Tyler Wiley -- he's from Pocahontas County," explained Ira Brown, school counselor at Green Bank.

Brown and his wife decided to make the three plus hour trip down to do some shopping for Jacob not knowing what would happen next.

"And Neil (Cabela’s Charleston general manager) came over and said, man, don't worry about it. This stuff is on us. And I was in tears, I was really moved," Brown said.

“He began telling me about what had happened, and it didn't quite sink in until I saw the passion in his eyes and I could hear it in his voice, and it just kind of became a no-brainer," DePugh said. "What would my founder do in a situation like this, and we just wanted to help, and just knowing he was a passionate outdoorsman--that put the icing on the cake."

A few days later, the Cabela’s team made the trip over to Green Bank to surprise the Bickford’s. That’s when Jacob Bickford, an avid angler, was given a table full of fishing supplies, lures and even a brand new rod and reel in front of his classmates—which triggered a round of applause.

Bickford was surprised and humbled by the generosity.

"I didn't think anything of it. I just thought they were coming here to talk," Bickford said. "I'm so happy about it--but I would have never asked for them to just go out of their way to give me all this stuff."

And it didn't stop there, either. Jacob's little sister, Marley, also received some items, and the family was given a $250 dollar Kroger gift card and a deep freezer to store food.

"We moved here almost six years ago, and from day one we've been welcomed like family,” Alycia Bickford said. “Support we've got from the people in the community and friends and family.

"You know, it's amazing how well people come together to help people in need, and if it wasn't for that we'd be struggling a lot worse," her husband Peter said.

DePugh went on to say that it’s in the company’s DNA to give back.

"Johnny Morris is the start of it all, and it's his company -- and this is kind of our culture," DePugh said. "We are willing to help the community and do whatever we can possible".

What’s Jacob’s favorite type of fishing? “Probably bass fishing,” he said. “I'm just thankful for what I’ve got. I mean, it could have happened at night and not have a family anymore or something."

A wise young man beyond his years already.

Catch a big one, Jacob!

To Help the Bickford's out, you can donate below:

Account #5430290

1 Citizens Plaza

PO Box 129

Slatyfork WV 26291

Bickford

PO Box 173

Green Bank WV 24944