HALTOM CITY, Texas — Two weeks before Christmas, on Dec. 12, Sandra Villa woke up to find her Haltom City mobile home engulfed in flames.
“This will not be Christmas for me,” Villa cried in Spanish. “It’s something so sad.”
Villa, a single mother to three young girls, including one with special needs, said she’s gone through so much. She worked tirelessly cleaning homes to afford the mobile home. She’s a recent breast cancer survivor, doesn’t speak English or have insurance.
“I’m tired of always fighting,” she cried.
The fire destroyed everything her family owned — clothing, Christmas gifts, money, cherished memories, and furniture. It also claimed the lives of their three beloved cats.
“I miss them so much,” Villa said. “They were my babies.”
Despite the tragedy, friends and strangers have rallied to support Sandra and her family. This Christmas, her simple prayer is for things to improve for her daughters.
“I lost everything and have to start from zero again,” she said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to the Haltom City Fire Department. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to support Villa and her girls.