Citizens coworkers band together after house fire

Oct. 26--When Nicole Robinson took a quick break from cleaning out her laundry room and sorting through clothes to donate, little did she know she would soon be the one needing help.

Oct. 17, after her 6-year-old son ran into her room and said he saw smoke, the back room and kitchen were engulfed in flames within a matter of minutes, and Robinson and two of her children were forced to flee with no time to grab anything -- not even family photos.

"I didn't really tell anybody from work, but once they found out, the following morning I had hundreds of text messages from my co-workers," said Robinson, a single mother of three who is a health unit coordinator at Citizens Medical Center.

Overnight, her colleagues had worked out a plan to set up a donation drive for Robinson.

"I haven't had to ask for anything," Robinson said. "They're amazing."

Robinson's home at 1007 N. DeLeon St., which was destroyed by the fire, was a rental that had no smoke detectors or home owner's insurance. Robinson suspects a water heater as the cause.

"To make matters worse, we went back the day after to see if there was anything salvageable, and it had been looted," said Jay Montgomery, a nurse at the hospital who has led the team effort.

"I've spoken to an attorney, so I really don't know what we're going to do from here," Robinson said, "but I'm sure it's going to be a long process."

Fortunately for Robinson, her colleagues will be there every step of the way.

In addition to providing their own personal donations to Robinson, one of her colleagues offered her a place to stay while her daughter is away for a month.

In the meantime, Robinson said she was searching for a new apartment before the 30 days are up.

"I'm looking, but it's hard because I've been having to work and also just trying to keep it together," Robinson said. "But, we're looking."

Montgomery, on the other hand, is busy looking for something else.

"We're basically trying to fill a house," he said. "There are kids here that need a roof over their heads, that need beds, that need toys, clothes -- everything."

On Monday and Tuesday, her colleagues, or "family," as they call each other, will be standing in the hospital parking lot accepting any and all donations.

"I'm so grateful for them," Robinson said. "It's overwhelming, and I have no way to tell them how thankful I am."

"We're just doing what we can for this young lady," Robinson said. "This is what we do for a living -- we take care of people."

___

(c)2015 Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas)

Visit Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas) at www.victoriaadvocate.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.