SOUR LAKE, Texas — A Sour Lake family of 10 who lost their home in a Thanksgiving Day fire is in another home and is getting back on their feet thanks to help from the community.
As the Lerma family slept in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 2023, while a pair of turkeys were being smoked outside their home, a grease fire started and quickly spread to their home.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above video first aired on Nov. 27, 2023.)
The family lost everything in the fire that took firefighters more than an hour and a half to put out.
"We just kind of watched our whole house burn, and see everything we had burn," Desta Marie Gonzalez, a family member, said the day after the fire.
"The children love the house and we got exactly that we needed," Gonzalez told 12News on Tuesday. "It was really a community effort and we can't say thank you enough to everyone who donated to our family."
The family has received lots of clothes, diapers and beds, including a bunk bed, she told 12News.
Decorations, a Christmas tree and even an "Elf on the shelf" were donated to the family.
A GoFundMe was set up to help the family and enough has been raised to get them into the new home and help replace two vehicles that were damaged according to Gonzalez.
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As of Tuesday morning, Dec. 19, 2023, $11,600 had been raised of a $30,000 goal.
"I didn't expect help from anyone or for anyone to help us out, I just can't say thank you enough, Gonzalez said.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.