Help Nikki and her family make new memories ❤
Donation protected
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/paterson/sections/police-and-fire/articles/paterson-firefighters-pull-two-from-early-morning-blaze 
Imagine for a moment you and your family are sleeping in your beds. Suddenly, there is a pounding at the door – jarred from sleep, you wake to the smell of smoke filling your apartment – then you hear your neighbors frantically yelling for you and everyone else to get out!
This is what happened to my friend, Nikki, her partner Ruben, their son, Jaxon (27-months) and daughter, Reya (7-months) just days ago. Fortunately, their neighbors’ quick thinking allowed everyone to get out of the unit safely. The units on either side of their apartment burnt to nothing. Although Nikki and Ruben’s apartment survived the fire, they have lost all their possessions to smoke damage. We know there are many things that fill a house - furniture, clothing, kitchen appliances, children’s toys, maybe some electronics. But this family has also lost priceless things: family photos, books given at Jaxon’s baby shower with handwritten dedications from friends for when he would grow to read them, souvenirs from vacations, an antique bassinet from Nikki’s grandmother that had been passed down through her family for generations, and the countless other memories that fill a home.
If you’ve ever met Nikki, you already know she is a loving mother, a generous friend, and full of compassion for everyone she meets (most especially their pets). If you don't know Nikki personally, all you need to know is: if this were happening to you right now, she'd be asking how to help, even if you barely knew her. In the past, when I needed a place to stay, Nikki gave it to me. When I didn’t think I could finish graduate school, Nikki told me I could. When I didn’t think I could survive a breakup or living on my own or housebreaking a new puppy, she was there for me. Now, it’s my turn.
As they work to sift through what’s left and attempt to rebuild their lives – including relocating to Florida – I decided to set up this GoFundMe page for my dear friend and her family. My hope is whatever we raise will help cover expenses and basically just to help this family get back up on their feet. Please consider giving whatever you can – every little bit helps. All funds raised will go directly to the family. Please reach out to Nikki at [email redacted] for more information and for other ways to help if you are financially unable to donate. Thank you for your time and for all your donations. And please: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Imagine for a moment you and your family are sleeping in your beds. Suddenly, there is a pounding at the door – jarred from sleep, you wake to the smell of smoke filling your apartment – then you hear your neighbors frantically yelling for you and everyone else to get out!
This is what happened to my friend, Nikki, her partner Ruben, their son, Jaxon (27-months) and daughter, Reya (7-months) just days ago. Fortunately, their neighbors’ quick thinking allowed everyone to get out of the unit safely. The units on either side of their apartment burnt to nothing. Although Nikki and Ruben’s apartment survived the fire, they have lost all their possessions to smoke damage. We know there are many things that fill a house - furniture, clothing, kitchen appliances, children’s toys, maybe some electronics. But this family has also lost priceless things: family photos, books given at Jaxon’s baby shower with handwritten dedications from friends for when he would grow to read them, souvenirs from vacations, an antique bassinet from Nikki’s grandmother that had been passed down through her family for generations, and the countless other memories that fill a home.
If you’ve ever met Nikki, you already know she is a loving mother, a generous friend, and full of compassion for everyone she meets (most especially their pets). If you don't know Nikki personally, all you need to know is: if this were happening to you right now, she'd be asking how to help, even if you barely knew her. In the past, when I needed a place to stay, Nikki gave it to me. When I didn’t think I could finish graduate school, Nikki told me I could. When I didn’t think I could survive a breakup or living on my own or housebreaking a new puppy, she was there for me. Now, it’s my turn.
As they work to sift through what’s left and attempt to rebuild their lives – including relocating to Florida – I decided to set up this GoFundMe page for my dear friend and her family. My hope is whatever we raise will help cover expenses and basically just to help this family get back up on their feet. Please consider giving whatever you can – every little bit helps. All funds raised will go directly to the family. Please reach out to Nikki at [email redacted] for more information and for other ways to help if you are financially unable to donate. Thank you for your time and for all your donations. And please: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Organizer and beneficiary
Amanda Magurne
Organizer
Paterson, NJ
Nikki Okie
Beneficiary