Five-year-old Michael Butler is a hero. On the morning of October 2, 2024, the family’s trailer in rural Jonesville, Louisiana, caught fire, swiftly engulfing it in flames. Michael awoke from his profound sleep after receiving a word from God.

“Michael told us he received a message from God that said he needed to wake his mama and daddy up,” Michael’s mother, Chaya Butler, tells Upworthy. Trenten, Trenten’s father, recalls, “We were woken up by him screaming.”

Michael had rushed from the far end of the trailer through fire to his parents’ bedroom, sustaining burns on his back from melting nails in the ceiling and on his face after landing in a melted plastic laundry basket on the floor. His hand was scalded when he opened the bedroom door, but that didn’t stop him.

“After he woke us up, we battled to leave the bedroom. We couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so heavy, and we went to the wrong door three times, believing it was our bedroom door [and exit],” Chaya explains.

“It was terrifying. The only thing on my mind was getting my family out,” Trenten explains.

Chaya and Trenten were able to remove Michael’s younger sister from the house, along with two other family members who were residing with them. Two additional family members and four household pets did not survive.

The tragic night could have resulted in much worse outcomes, and the family attributes their survival to Michael’s faith. “We had been attending church every Sunday. Trenten claims he’s never missed a service. “We’d been baptized, and we were filled with the Holy Spirit. Michael was praising the Lord, praying, and approaching the altar. He prayed before eating and going to bed.”

Michael escaped with serious burns that need four operations, including skin grafts, at the Manning Family Children’s Burn Center in New Orleans. His family also suffered burns that left them with scars. However, Michael’s feet were saved, which his family considers miraculous.

“Michael was barefoot. Without God, he would not have been able to go through the home without burning his feet. Trenten claims that God’s protection was with him during the journey.

Michael persevered throughout his recuperation. “He had a cast on for a while, but he was resilient; he didn’t let it slow him down or stop him,” Trenten says.

Since October 2, 2024, the family has gradually rebuilt their lives while dealing with long-term nightmares. (The family has launched a GoFundMe.)

“It’s obviously been a trip. There are many questions that have yet to be answered. “Why us?” Trenten asks. “God assigns His most difficult fights to His most powerful fighters. We will never return to ‘normal,’ but we are creating our own normal. We’re steadily getting there. You can always rise above the abyss. We absolutely struck it. However, living your life is equally wonderful.

They hope that their experience, as well as the profound spiritual connection of their son Michael, will inspire others.

“Even if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, God is always with you,” according to Chaya.