Family Loses Everything In NE OKC House Fire

A family of five is picking up the pieces of their lives after losing everything in a house fire last Tuesday.

Volleny Linzy and her four children, ages 5 to 15, lost not only their NE 20 Street home, but also their car, money and clothes. They are grateful that they have their lives.

Blisters on Linzy's ears are the only physical scar from the inferno that consumed her family's house, but internally, those frightening moments are still fresh.

“It’s traumatizing. They’re going to need counselors,” Linzy said, pointing to her children.

For her 8-year-old daughter Valencia, Linzy noted, “She’s waking up crying. She doesn’t want to go to sleep. She’s scared it’s going to be a fire.”

Linzy woke up in the nick of time Tuesday, to hot metal searing her ears.

“When I looked, the air conditioner was spitting out flames,” she said.

With the fire nearing her bed, Linzy fought her way out of the room to save her children. Firefighters later found the family dog alive and cowering in the corner of her sons' room, but everything else had been burnt to a crisp. Even the car parked next to the house was damaged.

Now the family is staying down the street with friends, wearing borrowed clothes and wondering what comes next.

“It’s hard to provide for them when you don’t got nothing to give them,” Linzy said with tears in her eyes. “They want to come down to the house to play with their toys or ride their bike and there’s nothing here.”

But they are confident that everything will be alright.

“Linzy Strong! All day long!” they chanted.

The three youngest children were able to receive two uniforms each plus backpacks from their school. Linzy has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money to buy new clothes and more school uniforms for her kids. To reach the page, click here.

You can also donate to them through Restore OKC, by clicking “Give to Restore OKC” and selecting “Relief for Family After House Fire” in the drop down menu labeled “Desired Use for Donation”. To reach the website, click here.