A Mesa family can't seem to catch a break but desperately needs one.
Kira Ruck is a single mom of three, a nine-year-old and twin toddlers. Ruck also helps care for her mother who nearly died from a flesh eating bacteria. Ruck said her mom had just gotten out of the hospital when their house near Southern Avenue and Mesa Drive caught fire.
She was making dinner when her step-dad came out of his room yelling.
"’There's a fire, fire!’ He grabbed my twins and got out the door," said Ruck.
The family escaped, but most of Ruck’s four cats and two dogs died in the blaze. A firefighter did save one dog, Mickey, a Yorkie. Ruck said he’s in bad shape and she fears he won’t survive much longer. Ruck says her animals were her best friends; she and her kids are devastated.
"I feel like it's my fault, I could've gone in and grabbed them but I didn't, I just froze," she said through tears.
The family of six escaped with just the clothes on their backs making it more of a challenge to find some sense of normalcy living in a hotel room their renters’ insurance is paying for.
Her eldest son’s school has started a collection of clothes and toys for the kids. Donations for the Ruck family can be taken to Keller Elementary near the US 60 and Harris in Mesa.
Ruck says clothes for her youngest son have been hard to come by, size 3T, her daughter wears size 4T and her eldest son is in size 9.
Her brother also a started fundraising account to help the family with the veterinary bills and other costs.
If you would like to help, you can donate here.
