A New Iberia family lost their home while preparing their Thanksgiving meal.
Their most fond memories and everything worked for—now destroyed.
Tara Derouen says she and her family of seven are still trying to move forward despite all of their belongings being completely destroyed after their home caught fire before Thanksgiving.
The night before Thanksgiving, the Derouen family was preparing their meal for the holiday.
The family noticed smoke coming from her fathers room which was caused by an electrical fire. Their home, located on Elm street, was fully engulfed in flames, according to the family.
Everything was lost and the family is now in need of assistance.
“It’s just hard walking through a few years of your life…wedding photos everything,” said Derouen.
Tara’s father a disabled Navy veteran, bound to a wheel chair and suffered a stroke, was unable to move—when an electrical fire sparked right behind him.
“And my father not knowing with his brain and the aphasia from the stroke He kinda curled up and was like don’t let it burn me,” Derouen said. “And we’re dragging him on his back. And I just had titanium put in my back in April. And I couldn’t go any more and we go him right here where I’m standing. And Gabrielle said move mama we’re going to get him.”
The blaze hovering over their heads nearly burned their hair— but did not burn a religious photo and a rosary her grandfather brought back from Jerusalem.
While her family didn’t get the chance to prepare their Thanksgiving meal, she still managed to find the happiness in the day.
“I’m like maybe I shouldn’t say it. I’m like no, Happy Thanksgiving! Because nobody’s life was lost. The firefighters made it home to their families, I didn’t have to plan my father's funeral, and my kids didn’t have to plan mine, ” said Derouen. “Together that is how we’re going to get through it. We are going to find it, I’m going to claim it. We are going to have a home for Christmas and it’s going to be ok. I don’t know how. But it’s going to be ok."
“We need Women’s XXL, like leggings and shorts right now we’re now worried about dress clothes. Just something to keep the kids warm. So large T-shirts small T-shirts. All the kids are different sizes. My husband and I are together but we’re not worried about us. My Father wears an XXL and bottom. Like jogging suits athletic wear T-shirts. And we’re very simple people like basic things like socks. You know stuff like that for the girls would really be appreciated,” Derouen said.
If you would like to send a monetary donation please click hereto access their GoFundme account.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
