Help Zuleika “Zee” Cruz and Her Daughters Rebuild After Devastating Apartment Fire

My name is Karen and I'm the owner of Belle Home Housecleaning where Zuleika “Zee” Cruz is a single mom who works as a Cleaning Technician. Zee does everything she can to provide a stable, loving home for her two daughters, Nailah (19) and Londyn (6). Like so many families, Zee has worked tirelessly to build a better life for her girls — and just three months ago, they finally moved into a new apartment in New Haven and finished furnishing it, creating a safe and comfortable home.

On Wednesday, January 21, they lost everything.

In the middle of the afternoon, Zee was at work and Londyn was at school when a fire in the home next door quickly spread to their own. Nailah, who works overnight shifts at Amazon, was the only one home at the time and had been asleep. She was jolted awake by the smoke detector going off. When she looked outside, she saw flames everywhere. She managed to escape safely, but the family lost everything in the fire.

Now, in the heart of winter, Zee and her daughters are traumatized and overwhelmed by having to relocate in the dead of winter, rebuild their household from nothing, and replace all essential belongings — clothing, furniture, school supplies, household items - everything they owned.

To make matters even more difficult, Zee’s car was struck by a delivery vehicle just two weeks ago, leaving her without reliable transportation at a time when she needs it most.

Zee’s youngest daughter, Londyn, also lives with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious congenital heart condition where the left side of the heart does not fully develop. Children with this condition typically undergo multiple surgeries early in life and require lifelong cardiac care. Londyn is a bright, brave little girl who has already faced more challenges than most adults ever will.

Despite everything, Zee continues to show up, work hard, and put her daughters first — even while carrying an unimaginable emotional and financial burden.

We are raising funds to help Zee and her girls with:

Emergency housing and relocation expenses

Replacing clothing, beds, furniture, and household necessities

Transportation support

Basic living expenses while they stabilize

Any amount — large or small — will make a meaningful difference. Sharing this page is much appreciated.

Thank you for helping this hardworking mom and her daughters rebuild, find stability, and begin again.