<div>My name is Selene, and I am the <strong>single mother </strong>of an amazing 11-year-old boy, Liam. He is loving, bright, and has special needs. He has been working so hard to prepare for a new middle school that he is starting in just two weeks — an exciting but also challenging transition for him.

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<div>I am a real estate agent in New York, and on Friday morning, August 15, at 10 AM, I was showing an apartment in the same building where we lived. I stepped outside and noticed thick black smoke pouring from the roof. Liam was home in our apartment next door. I rushed back, and in those moments, the <strong>fire spread</strong> to our patio after an accumulated gas explosion from a neighbor’s apartment.

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<div>There was no time to grab anything. <strong>I screamed “Fire!” </strong>and ran with Liam and warned our neighbors as fire trucks arrived. The fire burned for nearly four hours. By the time it was over, our lives had changed completely:

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<div><strong>Our apartment was destroyed</strong>, most of it burned beyond recognition.

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<div>Liam’s electronic drums, guitar, and keyboard — which he loved dearly — are unusable.

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<div>Our kitchen and living room were destroyed by water from the fire hoses.

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<div>The artwork I’ve been creating since I was five years old, spanning my life as a recognized artist, is gone forever.

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<div>And most painfully: there is no coming back to this home. The building must be completely rebuilt, and we have lost not only our belongings but also our place of stability and comfort.

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<div>My son and I were placed in a hotel provided by the Red Cross for the next couple days. We are safe, but we are starting again from nothing.

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<div>This fire didn’t only take our home — <strong>it also took my work. My main source of income</strong> comes from renting apartments in that building, but because of the damage, I won’t be able to do this for at least six months. As a real estate agent and a single mother, this leaves us in an extremely difficult position.

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<div>Still, I am grateful. Liam and I are alive, and I thank God for the firefighters who saved so many lives that day. But the road ahead is daunting, and I cannot do this alone.

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<div>How <strong>your donations will help us:</strong>

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<li>Temporary housing and essentials not covered by the Red Cross

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<li>Clothing and school supplies for Liam’s new middle school

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<li>Replacing Liam’s lost music instruments, which are so important to him

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<li>Replacing my work essentials (phone, laptop, real estate tools)

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<li>Application fees, deposits, and moving costs for a new home

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<li>Food and transportation as we recover

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<li>Supplementing the income I cannot earn for the next six months

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<div>I have never been someone who asks for help easily, but today, I need to. If you are able to donate, please know it will go directly toward helping me and my son rebuild our lives. If you cannot give, even a small amount, sharing this campaign would mean so much.

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<div>From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping us through this difficult time.

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<div>With gratitude,

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<div>Selene

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Avi Ross

Anonymous

Matt Martell

Mariola Karas

Ken Szekretar

Robert Zaleski

Ela Sztuczynski

Weronika J.

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Camille Falisse

Slawomir Soroka

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Help Selene and Her Son Rebuild After Fire

Help Selene and Her Son Rebuild After Fire

Mancano ancora $11,730. Aiutaci a creare slancio.