Until September 8th, my life with my son was a normal one, but on that night our lives were radically changed when our apartment block burned. We woke up suddenly with the reality that we do not have anything, not even a toothbrush. We are trying our best to recover and resume a normal life, but everyday is a struggle. What should have been a wonderful and unforgettable time for my son, Andrei, as he started the first day of high school, will forever be a horrible memory. Not only did he suffer the loss of everything in the fire, he also was not able to attend school for an entire month. This fire has robbed him of his innocence and happiness, and the smiles that were once common are now very rare.

We are fortunate in one manner; If we were asleep at the time the fire broke out, we would not be here today. We are thankful for the help that we got to have a temporary shelter, but how long this will be available is uncertain.

Any assistance that you can spare will be greatly appreciated and will be used to help us to rebuild our lives from the ashes of this fire.