Pope Francis Blesses Photo of Maryland Girls Killed in Mansion Fire

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Pope Francis has blessed a photo of two Maryland sisters who were killed in a January mansion fire that also took the lives of their grandparents and two cousins, and the pontiff blessed a statue to be given to the girls’ parents.

Donald and Sandra Pyle of Annapolis and their visiting grandchildren -- Alexis Boone, 8; Kaitlyn Boone, 7; Charlotte Boone, 8; and Wesley Boone, 6 -- died of smoke inhalation and burns when the Pyle’s $4.2 million home was destroyed by fire.

The couple and their grandchildren died Jan. 19 of smoke inhalation and burns after the family Christmas tree caught fire, according to autopsy results.

The Rev. Aaron Qureshi, a priest for the archdiocese of Washington, D.C., wrote to Pope Francis about the tragedy at the request of a friend who is close to the Pyle/Boone family.

“The Holy Father read the story about what happened and he was very moved by it. He prayed for the family and for the girls, and in fact he even put his hand on their picture as a sign of his affection for them,” Qureshi told the Catholic News Agency.

A statue of Jesus embracing two children was also blessed by Pope Francis when he stopped to pray for the girls, says the agency, and it will be given to their parents on Mother’s Day as a sign that Jesus is now taking care of Lexi and Katie in heaven.

The pope’s prayer for the girls and the Boone family shows the emphasis he places on mercy, Qureshi told the CNA.

Children Perish After Weekend with Grandparents

The Annapolis home was owned by Reston IT exec Donald Pyle and his wife, Sandra Pyle. Donald Pyle was chief operating officer at ScienceLogic, an information technology company that monitors networks for private and government clients.

The children killed in the blaze were Alexis Boone, 8; Kaitlyn Boone, 7; Charlotte Boone, 8; and Wesley Boone, 6. The Boone children are the grandchildren of Sandra Pyle and the step-grandchildren of Don Pyle.

The kids had Jan. 19 off from school because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, so they spent Jan. 18 with their grandparents and stayed overnight. The Capital-Gazette reports Sandra Pyle bought costumes the youngsters wore to dinner at Medieval Times at Arundel Mills mall in Hanover. The group then went to the Pyles’ castle, as neighbors had dubbed the 16,000-square-foot house.

Kaitlyn and sister Alexis are the children of Randy and Stacey Boone, who also have an infant son. The girls’ cousins, Wes and Charlotte, are the children of Clint and Eve Boone, the newspaper says.

Message from Grieving Family

A statement from the Boone and Pyle families thanked emergency workers for their efforts, and the community for its condolences.

“On behalf of the Boone and Pyle families, we wish to express our gratitude and appreciation for the love and support being shared with us during this tragic event. We are blessed that so many family, friends and neighbors have come together for us in our time of need,” the statement said reports WBAL.

“Our love for our family is boundless. Our loss demands time and quiet reflection to process these feelings. We ask that you respect our need for privacy,” the statement says. “Life is fragile. Make time today to embrace your loved ones.”

»Screenshot from WBAL TV

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