CLEBURNE, Texas — One person died and another was injured after a house fire in Cleburne on January 14.
20-year-old Neah Waley, a talented fiddle player, did not survive.
"It’s unbelievable..its surreal," Sherry McKenzie, Neah's fiddle instructor told WFAA.
"We were her Godparents, it's really tough" Sherry's husband Joey added.
"She was as close to a pure human being as there was on earth," Sherry said.
Neah's mother, Marsha Whaley, is at the hospital where her husband is still recovering from the fire.
"I can’t tell you how horrifying it is…to sit and watch your house burn and you’re helpless knowing your daughter is in there."
Neah was non-verbal. Despite those challenges, she shined. Her joy for life and eagerness to learn was most obvious in her music.
"She’s the most inspiring person I’ve met," Sherry said.
Musicians all over the world have donated tens of thousands of dollars to help the Whaleys.
The GoFundMe for the Whaley family can be found here.