Father mourns loss of his 4 boys in a house fire last Thursday in Lake Ozark

Last Thursday, four children lost their lives to a house fire in Lake Ozark that left the entire community in mourning.

The four boys were Tyler Lee Otto, 14, Cason Kenneth Otto, 8, Max David Otto, 5, and Levi Thomas Otto, 4.

According to the boys’ father, Travis David Otto from Westphalia, he has been divorced from the boys’ mother going on three years this August, and the boys were staying at her house at the time the tragedy took place. The cause of the fire has not been released.

Otto said when the boys’ mother called him to tell him the news, he screamed, “NO!” over and over again.

This Thursday morning, a week after the tragedy, Otto and his friends met at Ted’s Lake in Taos to cherish the memories that Otto once shared there with his boys.

Otto is getting by with the help of his dearest friends, Kelly Kampeter, Jessie Boehm, Zach Boehm and Stephanie Kliethermes.

Kampeter told ABC 17 News his heart is where it needs to be and they are proud that he is finding the strength to carry on for his boys and their legacy.

“Travis says he is finding his strength from the army behind him and the army above him,” Kampeter said.

“We love Travis and his boys so much, they really are our family. Those boys loved and adored their dad like no other and being here at the lake, you can really feel their presence which brings all of us a sense of peace,” said Jessie Boehm.

“This is a place where we spent so much time, because they loved to be here,” Otto said.

Church services will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Lake Ozark Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friends of the Otto family have set up a memorial fund to cover funeral expenses and future events honoring the children’s memories and their love for the outdoors.

You can give by clicking here or you can also mail a check to Central Bank with the attention to Kelly Kampeter P.O Box 779 Jefferson City, MO 65102.