Imagine going to work and receiving the news that your house is in flames—with your children inside. That was my reality. I ran out the back door of my job, literally sprinting down the street as police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances raced past me. When I finally reached my home, it was engulfed in flames, and my children were nowhere in sight.

On a Friday afternoon, I left for work, leaving my kids with the babysitter. In a matter of hours, everything changed. I watched helplessly as my home was destroyed. I’ve worked countless hours—overtime, double shifts, seven days a week—just to build a life for my children. Now, my children and I have nothing. Every bed, every piece of clothing, every photo, every masterpiece my children created, birth certificates, social security cards, and even their tiny footprints are gone. I walked away with my Bible, my two youngest’s car seats, and a single bag of clothes that happened to be in the dryer. We lost everything.

I am so grateful my babies are okay. I can’t imagine what I would have done if things had turned out differently. Nothing in the house can be salvaged—everything upstairs is burnt, and everything downstairs is water damaged. As a single mom with no family or village to lean on, it’s just me and my kids. In the blink of an eye, we lost everything I worked so hard for.

We need help to get back on our feet. Any support—donations, sharing our story, or even kind words—means more than I can say. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping us start over.