Hey there,

My name is Erick, some close friends may also know me online as Aza. I am starting this fundraiser on behalf of myself, my fiancé Lea, and my two cats, Nova and Anubis. At 8 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2nd, our apartment building in Holyoke, Massachusetts, caught on fire. This building is the first building we ever moved into after moving out of our family's place as high school sweethearts with our two fur babies, and the life we've worked so hard to build these past 6 years has been wiped out in an instant. The fire spread fast from the first or second floor, and we barely made it out of our fourth-floor apartment with our lives. In the desperation of the moment, the only things I grabbed were my fiancé and our two cats. We were beyond grateful that we were able to get out with Nova and Anubis, but we have otherwise lost everything else we had.

Our home, all of our belongings, clothing, furniture, important documents like our IDs and social security cards, everything is gone. We didn’t have renter’s insurance, so we’re starting from nothing and trying to figure out how to get back on our feet. The purpose of this fundraiser is to focus on the basics: things like temporary housing, clothes, essential items, and supplies and food for our cats, who are also struggling after the trauma of the fire.

This nightmare has completely displaced us and taken away the comfort and stability we worked so hard for in an instant. Right now, we’re relying on the kindness of friends and family while we try to find a new home and rebuild our lives. We know the road ahead won’t be easy, but we’re trying to stay hopeful and trust that we can get through this with the support of our community.

Anything you’re able to give, no matter the amount, would mean the world to us. If you can’t donate, please consider sharing this page with your friends, family, or communities. That helps us so much more than you know.

Thank you for reading and for any support you can offer,

Eternally grateful,

-Erick, his fiancé Lea, and their two cats Nova and Anubis