Family Rebuilding After Devastating Fire

On Wednesday evening, our lives changed forever when a devastating fire tore through our apartment building. My name is Kimberly, and my family—my partner Andre and our 12-year-old son Aiden, who is autistic and legally disabled—lost everything we owned. What the fire didn’t destroy was stolen in the chaos that followed. The trauma of that night is something we’re still trying to process, especially after I had to jump from a second-story window to escape, resulting in a severe leg injury that required surgery and several days in the hospital. The road to recovery is uncertain, and I’m facing a long period of healing and physical therapy before I can even think about returning to normal life, if that’s possible at all.


We are grateful for the help we’ve received from the Red Cross and from our best friend, who was also affected by the fire and has been by our side every day. She’s helped care for Aiden and visited me in the hospital, even when I was too unwell to know she was there. While some friends have shown incredible kindness, others have taken advantage of our vulnerability, making this time even harder.


We’re asking for support to help cover the costs that our state insurance won’t pay for—medical expenses, travel to doctor’s appointments, and the basic necessities for our family as we try to rebuild. We need help with food, clothing, and especially with providing Aiden a bed and furniture when we move into our new place. Any support, no matter how small, will make a difference as we try to recover and give our son the stability he needs. Thank you for reading our story and for any help you can offer.