On Wednesday, November 12th, at around 10:45 PM, our lives changed forever. Many of you may have already seen the fire on the news — the house fire in Etobicoke that claimed the lives of two dogs and left a four-year-old child severely burned. That child is my son, Luciano.
I am endlessly grateful to my sister, Shay Melanson, whose bravery saved his life.
When the fire broke out, Shay was in the washroom. She heard Luciano screaming and ran toward him. He had already made it out of his bedroom and into the corner of the basement where he loved to sit in his big chair. The moment Shay opened the bathroom curtain, she was hit with thick smoke and saw nothing but orange flames. She grabbed Luciano without hesitation and tried to run upstairs, but the smoke was so heavy that she ran into the wall because she couldn’t see. Somehow, through sheer instinct and courage, she managed to get them both outside to safety.
Shay tried calling me six times, but my phone was on silent. I was at Walmart in self-checkout buying groceries for Luciano’s school lunches — he was supposed to start his new school on Monday. When I reached for my wallet, I finally saw her message:
“Christy, the house is on fire.”
I called her back immediately and ran out of Walmart, leaving everything behind. When I stepped outside, I could already smell the smoke in the air. I drove home as fast as I could.
When I arrived, police were already there. Luciano and my sister were in a police car. I climbed in with them, and shortly after, I carried Luciano to the ambulance. He had nothing on but a blanket and his diaper. His body was covered in burns, and he was crying in unbearable pain.
In the ambulance, Shay received oxygen for the smoke she inhaled, and Luciano was given strong pain medication. Shay did not have burn injuries, but she was shaken and exhausted. The paramedics rushed Luciano and me to SickKids Hospital, where he is now being treated with incredible care by the doctors and nurses.
In total, 15% of Luciano’s body suffered first- and second-degree burns. He is currently being tube-fed and is on heavy medication to manage the pain. He is the strongest little boy I know, and we are holding onto hope as he begins his long recovery.
What We Lost in the Fire The fire destroyed everything in our home. We are now left with nothing and are starting completely from scratch. Some of the things we lost include:
• All of our clothing and shoes
• All of Luciano’s toys, books, and personal belongings
• All furniture (beds, dressers, wardrobes, couches, tables, chairs) • Electronics: TVs, computers, laptops, tablets, headphones
• Kitchen supplies, cookware, dishes • Bedding, blankets, pillows • Personal items: purses, bags, hygiene supplies, towels
• Food and groceries
• Important documents and sentimental items we can never replace
Our home and all necessities are gone. We are currently displaced and trying to stay close to the hospital while Luciano receives care.
Why We Need Help Your support will help us with:
• Emergency housing
• Clothing and essentials
• Food and groceries
• Replacing lost necessities
• Transportation to and from the hospital
• Items Luciano will need during and after recovery
•Slowly rebuilding our lives from nothing.
This has been the most devastating experience of our lives. But thanks to Luciano’s strength, Shay’s bravery, and the kindness of our community, we are finding hope again.
Thank you to everyone who donates, shares, prays, or sends love. Your support truly means everything to us.
With love, From Christy and Luciano
I am endlessly grateful to my sister, Shay Melanson, whose bravery saved his life.
When the fire broke out, Shay was in the washroom. She heard Luciano screaming and ran toward him. He had already made it out of his bedroom and into the corner of the basement where he loved to sit in his big chair. The moment Shay opened the bathroom curtain, she was hit with thick smoke and saw nothing but orange flames. She grabbed Luciano without hesitation and tried to run upstairs, but the smoke was so heavy that she ran into the wall because she couldn’t see. Somehow, through sheer instinct and courage, she managed to get them both outside to safety.
Shay tried calling me six times, but my phone was on silent. I was at Walmart in self-checkout buying groceries for Luciano’s school lunches — he was supposed to start his new school on Monday. When I reached for my wallet, I finally saw her message:
“Christy, the house is on fire.”
I called her back immediately and ran out of Walmart, leaving everything behind. When I stepped outside, I could already smell the smoke in the air. I drove home as fast as I could.
When I arrived, police were already there. Luciano and my sister were in a police car. I climbed in with them, and shortly after, I carried Luciano to the ambulance. He had nothing on but a blanket and his diaper. His body was covered in burns, and he was crying in unbearable pain.
In the ambulance, Shay received oxygen for the smoke she inhaled, and Luciano was given strong pain medication. Shay did not have burn injuries, but she was shaken and exhausted. The paramedics rushed Luciano and me to SickKids Hospital, where he is now being treated with incredible care by the doctors and nurses.
In total, 15% of Luciano’s body suffered first- and second-degree burns. He is currently being tube-fed and is on heavy medication to manage the pain. He is the strongest little boy I know, and we are holding onto hope as he begins his long recovery.
What We Lost in the Fire The fire destroyed everything in our home. We are now left with nothing and are starting completely from scratch. Some of the things we lost include:
• All of our clothing and shoes
• All of Luciano’s toys, books, and personal belongings
• All furniture (beds, dressers, wardrobes, couches, tables, chairs) • Electronics: TVs, computers, laptops, tablets, headphones
• Kitchen supplies, cookware, dishes • Bedding, blankets, pillows • Personal items: purses, bags, hygiene supplies, towels
• Food and groceries
• Important documents and sentimental items we can never replace
Our home and all necessities are gone. We are currently displaced and trying to stay close to the hospital while Luciano receives care.
Why We Need Help Your support will help us with:
• Emergency housing
• Clothing and essentials
• Food and groceries
• Replacing lost necessities
• Transportation to and from the hospital
• Items Luciano will need during and after recovery
•Slowly rebuilding our lives from nothing.
This has been the most devastating experience of our lives. But thanks to Luciano’s strength, Shay’s bravery, and the kindness of our community, we are finding hope again.
Thank you to everyone who donates, shares, prays, or sends love. Your support truly means everything to us.
With love, From Christy and Luciano
Organizer
