Hi, my name is Lauren, and I’m Taya’s mum.

Before I tell you about the unimaginable tragedy that struck 9 days before Christmas 2025–an event that has shattered our world and changed my daughter’s life forever—I want you to know who Taya is.

Taya is 19. She’s my beautiful, vibrant, fiercely independent girl. Intelligent, kind, and full of dreams, she had just completed her RSA and was excitedly searching for work in Brisbane, planning her next steps for study in the new year. She was on the cusp of adulthood, ready to take on the world with her usual determination and spark.

She was living in a small apartment in Spring Hill with three others. On that quiet December night, they were all asleep—safe, or so they thought. At 3am, without warning, a series of explosions tore through the building. Within minutes, flames engulfed the third-floor unit. The main tenant managed to escape through the front door, but the others, including Taya, were trapped inside as thick black smoke filled the air and fire devoured everything in its path.

Neighbours were jolted awake by the sound of shattering glass and desperate screams. As the fire raged, they called emergency services, helpless to do more.

Taya—my brave, precious girl—ran through the inferno. Her upper body was ablaze. She pounded on a neighbour’s door, and when it opened, she ran through his home, still on fire, straight into the shower, desperate to stop the agony consuming her.

When firefighters, paramedics, and police arrived, they found devastation. One of the residents had already passed away. Another succumbed to his injuries shortly after being pulled from the wreckage. Taya was sedated on the scene and rushed to hospital, her body covered in burns. For the past two weeks, she has been in the ICU, fighting for her life. And she’s still fighting.

Taya has suffered burns to 75% of her body. She has lost everything—her home, her belongings, her independence. The road ahead is long and uncertain. She will face lifelong disabilities, countless surgeries, and unimaginable pain. But she is still here. She is still fighting.

We are not the kind of family that finds it easy to ask for help. But right now, we are broken. We are desperate. We need your help.

If you can spare anything—no matter how small—it will go directly to Taya’s ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and the long journey of rebuilding her life from the ashes. Even $1 can make a difference. We know times are tough for many, especially around the holidays, but if you can help, you’ll be giving Taya a chance at healing, at hope, at life.

Please, help us help our daughter. Help us carry her through this nightmare and into a future where she can begin again.

We will be keeping everyone updated on Taya’s progress throughout her recovery and journey into the future as well as how funds are spent on her for things she needs.

With all our hearts,

Thankyou

Lauren, Jason (Taya’s Parents) and family ❤️