The Perkins’ family has had their share of ups and downs for the last few days. With their six year old son, Ivory, battling leukemia and working hard to keep his spirits up while he patiently awaits to be sent home from the hospital, the family’s house caught fire. Army veteran Joanne Perkins said her oldest son forget to turn off the oven which caused the fire while no one was home.

Perkins is devastated and doesn’t know what to tell her step son who wants to be home with his family. To add insult to injury, after the New Year’s Eve fire Perkins went back to their home to salvage what she could and found a racial slur spray painted on the back of the home and “Trump 17” spray painted on the side.

“This is 2017. It doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand it,” she said.

Losing your home is hard enough, then to know hateful neighbors would vandalized your, already torched home is disheartening.

She is trying to be strong for her family but admitted it is difficult.

The good news is the Red Cross is paying for a hotel for the family of six but it will only be for a week. The Perkins’ family does have an account for donations to help the family find a new home.