Family speaks after fire claims the lives of beloved pets

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) – A fire on Saturday took the home of Crystal and Gabriel Arroyo and their 7 kids over the weekend.

On Sunday they began the painstaking task of sifting through the debris of the home they rented for 7 years to find any of their possessions.

Gabriel Arroyo left the home 20 minutes prior to the fire, and when he returned he thought some of his children were still inside.

“I thought my three boys were upstairs because I didn’t know they left. They went down the street, and I kept trying to go in,” Arroyo said. “I couldn’t make it halfway up the stairs. I found my cat, and we couldn’t find the two dogs.”

Independence Fire reminds the community to never enter a burning building. Arroyo thankfully made it out with only smoke inhalation and said he could hardly see anything while he was inside, struggling to breathe.

The good news was his kids were safe, and IFD pulled his chihuahua, Rex from the fire and paramedics tried to save him. Unfortunately, he died.

Julian Moser, Crystal Marron-Arroyo’s son, took him back from EMS.

“I didn’t know what to do. I was pacing around with him in my arms,” Moser said. “I don’t know whether to sit down or keep standing. I don’t know if my legs were gonna give out, so I know what to do.”

Rex was 13 years old and had previously jumped in to save one of Arroyo’s sons who was being attacked by a dog years ago. Rex’s bravery cost him his leg at the time.

“He’s a little tripod, but he fought off a big old pit bull and saved my son and made it – he’s a hearty dog,” Gabriel Arroyo said.

After the fire was put out the family continued to search for their second dog, Princess.

“After everything was done, we were looking for her and found her under the bed,” Gabriel’s son, Xavier Arroyo said. “It’s just heartbreaking because we couldn’t save her like the ambulance was already gone. There was nothing we could do.”

The family took turns, getting warm inside of cars, while they searched their home on Sunday for any of their possessions that weren’t burned up.

Neighbors like Susan Taisi helped the family look and also donated some money to help get them back on their feet.

“People are really caring, and especially in this time, the time we need it the most because we lost everything,” Gabriel Arroyo said. “Everything we worked for is gone, but I’ll give that up for a healthy family. My boys are here. I believe God asked for two lives, and my puppies stepped up and said, take us, leave them.”

The family is asking for monetary donations through a GoFundMe. They are also asking for food donations of non-perishable items for their children during this time.

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