Fire during evacuation takes young Hilton Head family’s home

A fire in a north Hilton Head Island residence during the Hurricane Matthew evacuation has left a family with four children without a home.

A charred mattress, ironing board and iron sit outside the home on Thomas Cohen Drive off Spanish Wells Road.

“Everyone left in such a hurry,” said Michael Cohen Jr., a neighbor and relative of the displaced family.

Neighbors said the home is occupied by Marvin Smart and Shanada Young, 35, and four children.

The oldest, 16-year-old Tyreke Young, is on the varsity football team at Hilton Head Island High School.

On Thursday afternoon, an assistant coach brought a bag of clothes to the family.

Other children are girls ages 13, 10 and 7.

They are staying with Shanada Young’s father, Leon Young, relatives said.

The family evacuated on Thursday, Oct. 6, and smoke was noticeable coming from the home on Sunday afternoon, neighbors said.

Across the dirt road in the Cohen family compound, Pamela Cohen had a worried look on her face as an insurance adjuster filled out paperwork Thursday afternoon. A pecan tree fell during the storm, putting a hole in the roof of her trailer and swallowing two cars.

And winds toppled over three sides of the roofless cinder block building that the late Thomas Cohen used for his boxing ring and training facility for area youth years ago.

But Michael Cohen Jr., who many may remember as a star quarterback for the Hilton Head Island High School Seahawks, was busy cooking ribs nearby because business was brisk at his roadside tent selling barbecue meals to go.

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 7:15 AM with the headline "Fire during evacuation takes young Hilton Head family’s home."