Five-year-old Michael Butler is being hailed a hero—and for good reason.
In the early hours of October 2, 2024, a devastating fire broke out in his family’s trailer home in rural Jonesville, Louisiana. The flames spread fast, tearing through the structure while everyone was still asleep. But then, something extraordinary happened: Michael woke up.
And not just from the smoke or heat—he says he heard a message from God.
“Michael told us he received a message from God that said he needed to go wake his mama and daddy up,” his mom, Chaya Butler, told.
His dad, Trenten, remembers the moment vividly.
“We were woken up by him screaming,” he said.
Michael didn’t just wake up—he ran from the far end of the trailer, through thick smoke and blistering heat, to get to his parents’ room. Along the way, he was burned by melting nails in the ceiling and fell into a scorched plastic laundry basket, suffering burns on his back and face. His hand was scalded from opening the door. But still, he kept going.
He got to his parents—just in time.
“After he woke us up, we struggled to get out of the bedroom,” Chaya said. “We couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick, and we went to the wrong door three times thinking it was our bedroom door [and way out].”
The entire trailer was filling with smoke. The chaos, the heat, the panic—it was every parent’s worst nightmare.
“It was terrifying. The only thing on my mind was getting my family out,” Trenten said.
Thanks to Michael, they did. Chaya and Trenten were able to get Michael’s little sister out, along with two other family members who were staying with them that night.
Tragically, two family members didn’t make it. The family also lost four beloved pets in the fire.
Still, they know the outcome could’ve been so much worse. And they credit Michael’s unshakable faith for saving their lives.
“We had been going to church every Sunday. Never missed a service,” Trenten said. “We had gotten baptized, and we were heavy with the Holy Ghost. Michael was praising the Lord, praying and going to the altar. He would pray before eating and going to bed.”
Michael suffered severe burns that required four surgeries, including skin grafts, at The Manning Family Children’s Burn Center in New Orleans. Other family members were also burned and will carry those scars for life.
And yet—what happened to Michael’s feet still leaves them in awe.
“Michael was barefoot,” said Trenten. “There is no way he walked through the house without burns on his feet without God. God’s protection was over him the whole way.”
Michael’s recovery hasn’t been easy, but he’s been remarkably strong.
“He had a cast on for a while, but he was resilient; he didn’t let it slow him down or stop him,” Trenten shared.
The family is still piecing their life back together while coping with the trauma of that night. They’ve started a GoFundMe to help with the long road ahead.
“It has definitely been a journey. There are a lot of questions that haven’t been answered. Why us?” Trenten said.
“God gives His toughest battles to His strongest warriors. We will never be back to ‘normal,’ but we are making our own normal. We’re slowly getting there. Rock bottom isn’t always the bottom—you can always come back up. We definitely hit that. But having your life is just as beautiful.”
And if there’s one thing they hope others take away from their story, it’s that faith—no matter how small—matters.
“Even if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, God is always with you,” Chaya said.
Michael may be just five years old, but in his family’s eyes—and now, in the eyes of many—he’s living proof of courage, love, and the power of faith.
