New home given to mother who lost three sons in fire

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 | 10:48 a.m.

Elizabeth Gonzales, who lost three children when a fire destroyed her mobile home in February, received the keys to a new fully furnished manufactured home Tuesday morning.

The three-bedroom home near Boulder Highway and Lamb Boulevard was provided to Gonzales by a group of local manufactured home dealers.

"She wants to thank everybody who has helped her," said Marisela Solis, Gonzales' friend and co-worker who accompanied Gonzales to the new home. "She's very grateful to everybody who reached out for her."

It was a bittersweet moment as workers from Walker Furniture carried bedroom sets off the truck, while Spencer Judd of Greenpointe Credit Associates handed the keys to Gonzales.

Representing the contributing dealers, Judd expressed his sorrow for her loss and said the new home was their small way of helping her get back on her feet.

Gonzales lost three sons, Omar Jr., 5, Orazio, 4, and Christian, 3, when her mobile home caught fire shortly after 7 a.m. Feb. 9. Gonzales escaped the fire with her 18-month-old son Illan and tried to save the other children by breaking windows. She was overcome by flames.

The fire started in the living room and was ruled accidental.

Walker Furniture furnished the home with bedroom furniture, a dinette set and living room set. Wal-Mart stores contributed $1,000 in appliances and linens.

"There's all these nice things," Solis said. "But anything you see is going to remind her of them. There's always going to be memories."

"She's just taking it one day at a time," Solis said.

The home has a retail value of $55,000 and was selected from Tom Terry Homes. Other contributors were Sun Valley Homes, Fleetwood Home Centers of Las Vegas, Manufactured Housing Association of Nevada and Butterfield Homes.