A Chula Vista family who lost everything in a house fire – from clothing and furniture, to toys and mementos – is getting help from neighbors trying to give them a little light during such a dark time.
The Del Real family was fast asleep when a fire ripped through their home on Helix Avenue at around 3:20 a.m. Friday morning. The flames moved quickly, consuming the walls and items inside the home. Fortunately, the family was able to escape unharmed.
But, they lost everything.
Resident Samuel Del Real, 12, told NBC 7 he will miss his room – a place where, like any boy his age, he liked to play video games and hang out with his friends.
“I do a lot of stuff in there,” he told NBC 7, holding back tears.
Samuel Del Real said he’s grateful he was able to save his most prized possession from his room: his pet lizard.
He’s also happy his family wasn’t hurt.
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As the family’s home burned, a friend – on her way home from early-morning Black Friday shopping – called Samuel Del Real’s sister, Cynthia Del Real, to tell her she could see flames stemming from the family’s home. Cynthia Del Real got out of bed and quickly awakened the rest of her family.
“I went to my brother’s room, I was like, ‘Wake up! Wake Up! The house is on fire,’” she told NBC 7.
On Friday night, the Del Reals were sifting through the ashes of their charred home, seeing if there was anything left that could be salvaged.
Meanwhile, neighbors were coming together to collect donations for the family via an online GoFundMe page. As of Saturday morning, more than $2,100 had been raised for the family.
Samuel Del Real said some of his neighborhood friends came to visit Friday. The sixth-grader said they all felt sad for his family but wanted to help. He said seeing his neighbors rallying around his family makes him happy.
“I feel like everybody is showing their love,” the boy said. “I feel very happy because they’re helping us a lot; helping us rebuild our house.”
As Christmas approaches, the Del Real family hopes to be able to replace a few of their belongings and get back on their feet and into their home. Samuel Del Real wants a leash to walk his lizard because, that way, his pet can get some exercise. He said a new gaming console would also be nice, but it's not that important.
For now, the Del Real family’s home is boarded up. They've been taken in by friends, with Samuel Del Real staying at a neighbor's house for the time being.
Friday’s fire also spread to the adjacent home of the Molina Family. They told NBC 7 they’re all okay and are also grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends and neighbors.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
