Story
It’s hard to lose someone you love; but to lose your child and home, the very place holding all your memories, at the same time is unimaginable.
On May 15, 2025, our Aunt Tammy and Uncle Sonny came home to a rapid blaze pouring out of their home and watched as it quickly spread. A massive 3-alarm fire had torn through their two-story home and spread to two others in Northwest Houston. Unfortunately, our 26-year-old cousin did not make it out.
Stephanie, who was born with Down Syndrome, was more than just our cousin. She was a daughter, sister and friend. She was gentle, carefree, loved deeply and shined brightly. She loved to eat, dance and smile. Her big grin is one of the things we will miss the most. We lost a true light in this world.
Below are some videos and an article about the incident:
Article Link:
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/northwest-harris-county-houston-fire/285-09bdaaee-4da6-4aa4-9745-d3e6ed4de16d
Words can’t express the devastation of losing our precious angel and now our Aunt Tammy is facing the heartbreaking task of burying her daughter without a place to properly grieve. No parent should have to go through this kind of pain—let alone do it without a safe space to mourn and heal.
Our aunt and uncle are no strangers to adversity. In 2021, our Uncle Sonny was diagnosed with Stage Four Lung Cancer. He has been courageously battling this illness through medications and regular checkups 2-3 times a week. They have been working hard to manage the crushing costs of medical treatments and now have to prepare for something harder. They now prepare arrangements to lay their daughter to rest.
Their entire house was lost in the fire—reduced to nothing but ashes. Along with it is every memory, belonging, personal cash savings and the sense of stability they had. Right now, they urgently need to raise $50,000 to begin covering funeral expenses and to take the first steps toward rebuilding their lives.
The family is loved by the community and recognized for their kindness, volunteer work and faith. As devoted Catholics, they are continuously giving back to the community and those around them. They are always the first to help others, but now they are the ones in need.
We are asking for your help as they navigate this loss. We hope to give their family the space and time they need to grieve without the weight of financial stress. Any amount will go towards funeral costs and helping their family rebuild their home and lives after losing their daughter and home in a tragic fire.
Please consider donating if you’re able, and share this campaign with your friends, family, and community. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to helping Aunt Tammy and Uncle Sonny find some peace and stability during this unimaginable time. Your support truly means the world to our family.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading, sharing, and giving. Together, we can surround this family with the love and help they need to begin healing from this heartbreaking loss.