ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) — In St. Landry Parish, a heartfelt fundraiser was organized to support a man who was heroically rescued from his burning vehicle.

In Palmetto, the Church of God Ministry and Retreat Center hosted a gospel extravaganza to help support the family. On Saturday, the church was filled with live music, food and fellowship for a man who had survived the unthinkable and lived to talk about it.

About 6 months ago, Donald Cain nearly lost his life.

“I tried to get home a little early to surprise my wife, but I never made it,” Cain said.

Cain had finished a 12-hour work shift and was headed home along U.S. 90 west.

“I ran off the road, hit a culvert, and it burst into flames; the vehicle,” Cain said.

Captain Gisha Palmer, an off-duty St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Captain, noticed the flames as she drove by.

“I saw people outside gathering, and I asked, ‘Is everybody okay?’ They were like, ‘No one ever got out of the car,'” Palmer said.

Palmer ran back to her vehicle to retrieve a fire extinguisher she had in her car. She believed there were no survivors, as the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

“I pointed my fire extinguisher where I thought the body would be to preserve it so we can identify,” Palmer said. “I just believed the vehicle and the body would be unrecognizable.”

Palmer said that a hand reached out from the mist created by the fire extinguisher.

“God bless, he was in there and he was alive,” Palmer said.

Cain lost his leg due to the fire, but was able to survive the incident. Vaughn Goudeau, a friend of Cain’s family spoke on the incident.

“Everything was burned except for right where he was and the Holy Bible,” Goudeau said.

Cain’s sister-in-law, Sharon Stelly said she is thankful he survived and for those who came to offer support.

“It makes you feel good,” Cain said. “It makes you feel special. Like we know somebody loved you. You never know how a person feels about you until something happens.”

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