SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) — Community members in both Williamson and Maury County are raising money for a teacher who lost her home in a fire last Friday.

Angela Jones is an eighth grade teacher at EA Cox Middle School in Columbia. The fire, which is believed to have started in a trash can outside, completely destroyed Jones’ home of 18 years. The family lost nearly everything in the blaze, including their cat, Rascal.

One day before the fire, Jones got a “Cougar shout out” on Facebook, honoring her for making a difference in the lives of her students. In 2022, Jones was recognized as Maury County Public Schools’ middle school teacher of the year, which is one of many accolades she’s received over the course of her long teaching career.

Community members told News 2 that she has left a mark on her students. Those who know her best said that they’re determined to help her and her family through this tragedy.

“I don’t even know how to describe it. I wish I could be as good a teacher as she is, and she hasn’t even been teaching as long as I have,” co-worker and close friend of Jones, Amber Porter, said. “She is amazing. She — seriously — has taken time to take care of me when I’ve had problems, so this was just the smallest thing that I could do: to try and help her out in her time of need.”

Porter said that Jones made it out of the fire “with the clothes on her back” and that she wasn’t even wearing shoes when the fire broke out.

“This is going to be a long process,” Porter said. “It’s going to take a while to get her back established…so we’re just trying to raise as much [money] as we possibly can.”

Jones’ work family, made up of teachers and students alike, have been doing their part to support her through this difficult time.

“A lot of the kids have made her cards that I’ve taken over there and she has loved everyone of them,” Porter said. “Some of them made her boutiques of flowers out of paper. The teachers have been texting and calling non-stop. It’s just been a real big community effort.” 

Amidst all the chaos, an emotional — but resilient — Angela Jones had many thanks to give.

“The Spring Hill, Williamson County community has just been so generous and kind,” Jones told News 2. “It’s just been — it’s been overwhelming. And I just want to say, ‘Thank you’ and that’s the most I can do. I will pay it forward.” 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Jones family. Click here to donate.