TOP STORY: 'Thank you. . .'

Natasha Beatty lost her two sons in a tragic
house fire in Otumoetai. She has written to the
Bay of Plenty Times wanting to tell her story
in her own words. This is what she wrote.
Thursday, June 16 - the morning of the worst day of my life. I woke at 6am to let all five cats out to go to the toilet then went and checked on my daughter (Shaydine).
I returned to bed where my sons, Kahvan and Cayden, were sleeping. I cuddled up beside them and went to sleep.
The next thing I knew, I was woken by a loud banging noise. I recall looking at my watch. It read 7.20am.
I ran down the smoke-filled hallway screaming "fire!"
I got two feet into the kitchen and turned back, hoping my three children were at the other end of the house by our bedrooms. I saw my daughter who had been woken by my screaming.
I grabbed her hand and took her out my bedroom french door.
I looked into her eyes and said: "Get far-far away and go to the neighbour and ask for help."
With that I returned to the house. I ran back through the smoke-filled hallway into the kitchen. I only got two feet when the heat on my face was overwhelming and my hair was singeing.
I could not breathe.
I was inhaling thick, black smoke. The heat was forcing me back outside where my daughter, Shaydine, only six years old, was waiting for me.
I again told her to run far away from the house.
I then grabbed the garden hose and turned it on and ran, still screaming 'fire' to the front door.
I began to break the window panels. I put the hose through the broken window.
I screamed out to my boys. I heard one screaming in sheer terror: "Mummy, mummy."
I screamed back: "Get on the ground and crawl to mummy."
The thick black smoke was pouring out at me.
I knew I couldn't do this alone and I needed help.
I ran outside to the house next door where my cousin and husband were asleep. I banged on the doors screaming.
I saw no one so I ran back up and down the street screaming: "Fire, my boys are in there."
I had some kind people try and calm me down. It felt like a lifetime.
There were lots of people watching in disbelief.
I tried to go back as I felt there was more I could have done for my boys and I thought my daughter was standing at the back of the property all by herself.
Some people would not allow me to go back and they told me my daughter was safe with someone else.
I stood helplessly watching intense fire leaping from the roof.
I screamed: "What is taking so long for help to come?"
Then a big wave came over me and I looked at the sky.
I knew then that my boys had gone. With that I was beside myself.
I thought I was going to die of the heartbreaking feeling inside.
The fire service didn't get a hose on to the house for what felt like hours.
Me and my husband were told on the side of the road that our beautiful boys had died.
The way we were told was not nice. Other people were all around and it was bluntly said.
I was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. I signed myself out.
I couldn't sit in a bed any longer with the pain of knowing our boys were gone.
Our kids are our world.
Natasha and Grant Beatty and daughter Shaydine would like to thank all the wonderful people for their kind words, help, support and donations.
Words cannot express how grateful we are. God bless you all.
Thank you to all the firefighters and all who tried to enter the house to help our sons Kahvan, 4, and Cayden, 2, who was just 10 days from his third birthday.