AFGE Member Lost Everything In Home Fire

Dear Friends, Family, and Community Members,

My name is Douglas Massey, the president of AFGE Local 17, and I am reaching out on behalf of a dear member of our community, Tyeas Tillman, who has endured a devastating hardship that no one should ever have to face.

On January 16th, around 10:30 AM, Tyeas' day turned from ordinary to disastrous. While at her home in Upper Marlboro, MD, she noticed an alarming orange glow from the kitchen. In moments, flames erupted from the back of her stove, and her attempts to control them were in vain; the fire extinguisher was unsuccessful in stopping the rapid spread of the fire. Tyeas' quick action to call 911, evacuate and alert her neighbors not only saved her life but also allowed her neighbors to escape potential harm, as their homes too suffered damage.

This fire, which was later determined to be electrical and entirely beyond Tyeas' control, left her without a home, possessions, or much of anything else save for the clothes on her back. Everything was consumed by the fire or damaged by the smoke, soot or water, leaving her with the overwhelming task of rebuilding her life literally from the ground up.

As her union family, we are stepping in to do all we can to help Tyeas through this crisis. This GoFundMe is set up to assist with the immediate needs — such as shelter, food, and clothing — and also to help with the long road of recovery ahead.

Tyeas is facing this challenge with incredible courage, but she should not face it alone. Your donation will significantly ease the financial strain and allow Tyeas to focus on moving forward without the weight of financial stress.

Please join us in supporting Tyeas Tillman in her time of need:

Donate: Any contribution will help alleviate the immediate financial pressures on Tyeas.

Share: Spread this campaign to your network. The more people we reach, the more support we can secure.

Encourage: Send Tyeas a message of support. Your words can provide comfort and hope during her journey to rebuild.

We are thankful for any support you can offer. It's in times like these that the strength and compassion of our community shine the brightest.

With heartfelt thanks,

Douglas Massey

President, AFGE Local 17

See below for more images of the devastation: