Alexandria man who lost family in fire is out of coma

A man who lost his family in a devastating fire at his Alexandria home has come out of his induced coma.

Martin Desjardins was in a medically-induced coma in Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital after suffering severe burns following a fire that ripped through his home on Friday, August 12 and killed his young family.

That fire killed his girlfriend, 22-year-old Sarah Cholette, as well as his three children, three-year-old Chloe, 22-month-old Maxime and nine-month-old Jacob.

Desjardins, who suffered burns to about 13 per cent of his body, managed to leap out of an upstairs window with Maxime, who passed away in the days following the fire.

Desjardins' family has told media that they are now trying to figure out how to tell the young man that his family is gone.

"He mentioned Sarah's name not yesterday, but the day before," said Desjardins' sister, Natasha. "He's looking around for her."

The family has told media Desjardins is still on heavy medication and sleeps most of the day, but remembers his own name and date of birth. He also recognizes his mother, father and sister.

About $2,800 has been raised thus far for the two families as a result of donations collected at the Giant Tiger in Alexandria, where money is still being accepted. An anonymous benefactor also paid for the August 19 funeral.