‘A safe place for my disabled son:’ Family of 6 appeals for help after Lake County fire destroys home

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – This Mother’s Day, a local mother is trying to figure out where her family will live after a devastating blaze burned their home last week in Sorrento.

The family of six is currently staying in a local rehab facility to support her son’s medical needs, but that arrangement will only last for 13 days.

The roof collapsed and everything is damaged inside. Through the damage, you can see a medical bed for Renee Veras’ son, Ken, who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a car crash a few years ago.”

Veras said Ken is partially paralyzed and non-verbal.

[Watch video below to see News 6 report]

She said now it’s going to cost thousands to replace his $3,000 bed, as well as several other things he needs to survive.

Veras said Tuesday was one of the worst days of her family’s life. 

They’ve only been able to recover about 8% of what they had in the house, and now they need clothes, shoes, and just about everything to completely start over.

Veras says the hardest part is knowing she and her mother worked hard to make this house a home over the past six years—but now it’s gone.

[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] 

“It mean stability and a safe place for my disabled son to be as well as my other kids and to be able to spend more time with my mother because not a lot of people get that chance,” Veras told News 6.

The family has a GoFundMe set up, trying to raise $40,000 to pay for her son’s medical equipment and to help them get back on their feet.

They’re also encouraging people to drop off donations like clothes, toiletries, and other items to their storage locker at Storage King USA located at 31725 Mt Plymouth Loop in Sorrento.

Veras said to tell the staff you’re dropping off donations for the Baca family when you arrive.

According to Veras, firefighters told her the blaze started on their porch near their lawnmower, and you can see it also impacted a nearby home.

Varas told News 6 they also lost two pets in the fire.