Residents Rally to Help Local Family Whose House Burned Sunday

Local residents have rallied to help Lupe Leyva, a single mother to three whose North Madison Avenue home was virtually destroyed by a fire Sunday evening.

Although one cat escaped the blaze and another was saved by Pasadena firefighters, the family — Leyva and her adoptive children, Cristina, Isabella, who goes by “Sunshine,” and son, Axl — lost their emotional support dog, Abby, in the blaze.

Aggressive actions by firefighters limited the spread of the fire, preventing the total loss of the structure as well as further damage to two other adjacent structures, the Pasadena Fire Department reported.

All occupants of the building and rear duplex unit who were displaced as a result of the fire and collateral damage affecting power transmission to the rear unit have requested housing assistance from the Red Cross, according to fire officials.

The family has been staying with a neighbor since the fire, which the Fire Department has listed as of “undetermined origin.”

A GoFundMe page, organized by Altadena neighbor Lorie Hope, has raised over $30,000 of a $40,000 goal from more than 400 contributors as of Tuesday afternoon.

Leyva was provided with a Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergencies (SAVE) Visa card by the California Fire Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides immediate aid to victims of fire incidents.

“I feel so blessed, and just overwhelmed by all the support. I felt as if I had lost everything on Sunday night.” Leyva told Pasadena Now.

“We’re trying to salvage what we can, some photos and things. Some things are completely destroyed, and some things are untouched,” Leyva said.

Leyva, who slept in her car outside the home on Sunday night, said she was approached by neighbors who sifted through the damage and recovered clothes, which they took home and returned to her washed and folded.

“Everyone has been here for us, even strangers. I thought I had lost everything, but I have gained so much, and my children have learned so much. We hear so many terrible things on the news, but there are good people out there,” Leyva said, fighting back tears.

There will be a food truck event Friday to benefit the family. The event will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 11, at Grocery Outlet, 2270 N. Lake Ave.

More information on donating to the Leyva family is available here.