LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On Christmas Day, a Lexington family woke up way before they intended to because their home was on fire. They all got out safely but lost so much of what was inside, including Christmas gifts.
As they're coping, they're hoping for some help in the new year.
"We just lost everything. That's the main thing that kept going through my mind," said Natasha Gay.
Gay was in Louisville. She had been there Christmas Eve, helping wrap gifts for the little ones in the family. Just before 2:00 on Christmas morning, she got a call from her daughter back home, frantic.
It started in the kitchen at the back of the house. Smoke detectors woke everyone up, and they all got out. But anything left inside was badly damaged or destroyed.
"The only thing that we've been able to get out of the house are our clothes, that we're trying to salvage," said Gay.
While we were there, Natasha and her daughter Jayla were still going through things inside. At the same time. a city code enforcement officer was taking a look to determine whether the house would be condemned.
We had actually met Jayla before. Right before schools let out for break, we featured her in a story about her middle school LTMS and the "Santa Shop" they have there, where students are able to shop at no cost for gifts for their families.
All those gifts she carefully picked out were lost in the fire.
"I had like, I got like a whole bunch of gifts from my school. And I had them here. But now they're gone," said Jayla.
Jayla and her mom are thankful for the family, friends, and even teachers of Jayla's, who are helping them right now.
"Just anything helps, to where we could try to piece back our lives back together," said Gay.
To donate to the family's GoFundMe, click here.
