On Sunday, July 5th, our lives changed in an instant. A sudden lightning strike hit our apartment building, sparking a fire. Because we live on the top floor, our unit was one of the four with the most damages. Gratefully, we were not at home when the lightning struck—our family was at church at that exact moment, so thankfully we were out of harm's way.

While we are incredibly blessed that all five of us are unharmed, we returned to find our apartment unlivable. Between the dense smoke and the amount of water used by the firefighters to extinguish the flames, our unit suffered some structural damage and the building was deemed condemned. The water damage caused the roof inside our apartment to collapse in several critical areas, including the main entrance, living room, dining room, and main bedroom.

The apartment complex administration has informed us that we must completely evacuate the premises by Wednesday, July 8th. This gives our family less than 48 hours to relocate, secure a storage unit, and figure out our next steps. We are in a literal race against the clock.

Unfortunately, we did not have renters insurance, meaning we are starting completely from scratch to rebuild our lives and secure a safe place for our family to live.

We are reaching out to our community and kind strangers for help during this difficult transition. Any funds raised through this campaign will go directly toward new housing relocation following Wednesday's evacuation, like a deposit for a new apartment, a storage unit to move before Wednesday's deadline, and to cover any other unexpected expenses and unpaid time out of work.

No amount is too small, but if you are unable to donate financially, you can also help us by sharing this link with others.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, prayers, and support as we navigate this crisis and try to find safety and stability again.

With love, faith, and gratitude,

The Padilla Garcia Family