Story Published:
May 13, 2008 at 9:42 PM CST
Story Updated:
May 13, 2008 at 10:47 PM CST
All of the residents of Building 21 had a warm place to stay Tuesday evening.
Other residential homes, the Red Cross, family members and in some cases– strangers– have offered kindness to help ease the victims' losses.
Jim and Rose Gomes are feeling a bit overwhelmed. The couple just lost everything in the Leisure Acres Fire...and before they had a chance to worry about where they would go, The Morton Villa offered them a room for the night.
Jim Gomes said, "They brought me around and said, we've have a place for you to stay and I said, whoa."
Morton Villa gave the Gomes a hot meal and a basket of goodies.
Rose Gomes said, "They're wonderful here, they're really wonderful."
Colleen Kamin, the executive director of Morton Villa and Terrace, has taken in upon herself to make sure their needs are met..."They're clothes smell like smoke terrible and that's not going to be very comfortable for them, so I'm going to guy them clothes. Li: Out of your own pocket? Well, yeah."
The Gomes' were touched by Kamin's compassion. In this moment, the loss seems far away...
Leisure Acres Manager, Bill Hohstadt says they will work to get the residents new homes as quickly as possible. Right now the property has six open units. "We've got more people than that, that have been displace in building 21 so we have to figure out a fair method so we can house some of the residents, and the company has other senior projects in the area too."
The Gomes aren't worried...they're grateful they still have their most prized possessions...
Rose Gomes said, " What's important, our lives I mean, you can always replace something."
The Leisure Acres property manager says they will reconstruct Building 21.