BEAUMONT — We’re less than two weeks away from Christmas and a Southeast Texas husband and wife, along with their three sons, are hours away from being homeless.

They lost all of their possessions and their house in a Beaumont fire.

It would be an understatement to say that the Hendrix family has endured a lifetime of suffering since December 2, and it could soon get worse.

Forced to seek shelter in a motel following the house fire, they’re running out of money to stay there. The most they have is for one more night. After that, their shelter could be their car. The few belongings Ernest Hendrix, his wife and three sons have left in this world are packed into the back of the family car. Everything else, including their house in Beaumont’s south end, destroyed in a fire.

“We lost everything, everything,” said Hendrix. “I mean the kids’ clothes, my clothes, my wife’s clothes. We literally don’t have nothing.”

Fortunately, they have their lives. No one was inside the house when it caught fire just before noon December 2. Hendrix and his wife were at work while the kids were at school.

Investigators blame an electrical short that caused flames to rip through the home, the roof collapsing to the ground.

“The worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life, the worst ever,” said Hendrix.

Adding to the heartache, Hendrix’ mother died of cancer the very next day.

“She had just come home from the hospital. Had to rush her back and they couldn’t save her. She went into cardiac arrest.”

All this tragedy comes less than two weeks before Christmas. The three boys know the holiday will not be the same for them.

The middle son, 10 year old Mahlek, says he would like to be able to have what he lost–a PlayStation 4, phones.

Their parents each work two jobs to make sure their sons have all they need. One of Hendrix’ jobs is manager of a Waffle House. Even his work shirt from there was destroyed.

Hendrix fears he will soon run out of money and time to keep his family housed in the motel where they’ve been staying since the fire.

“I think tomorrow (Tuesday) is actually our last night, and the little money that I got saved up, we’ve been trying to save that for a house, but paying for the motel every night has been taking all our funds.”

Which means the family could be hours away from living in the car that holds their few possessions.

Angel: “What will happen when you don’t have the motel?”

Hendrix: “I don’t know. Just really don’t know at this point. I have no answers.”

But this hard-working dad says he will not stop seeking a solution for his wife and sons. He wants to fix their shattered lives and mend their broken hearts

“I’m hoping for a miracle,” said Hendrix. “I’m hoping and praying for a miracle. I’m praying for a miracle.

Making the family’s situation even worse is that after the fire, thieves went into the burned out house and stole a few of the items not destroyed in the fire, including the family’s freezer.

The Hendrix family has since boarded up the home.

Written by ANGEL SAN JUAN