RICHMOND, Va. – Community members, family and friends gathered Sunday to throw a baby shower for a Virginia mother whose three children and fiance died in July.
Jeremiah, 7, Shyla, 2, and Sage, 1, were asleep in their Highland Pointe Apartment, along with Lewis' fiance, Shawn Ross, when unattended food on the stove caught fire. Henrico firefighters pulled the four from the apartment, but they were unresponsive. They later died from their injuries.
Shyla, Jeremiah and Sage.
"What woman can imagine all of those things happening to you as you're pregnant with a newborn,” Kelli Lemon, who helped organize the baby shower, told WTVR.
"I'm a single mom, and I can only imagine what having to deal with losing your kids and then your husband, your only help, throwing you into a world you're not familiar with -- would do for you,” said Nudasha Gratic-Fludd, who volunteered to plan and coordinate part of the baby shower.
From the cake to the decorations to the food, everything was donated for the baby shower.
Baby shower gifts.
"It's good to see people in the community coming together to rally around a cause like this,” said Amy Wentz, another one of the organizers.
"To see so many people want to be part of the baby shower that we had to turn people away, that's what makes us know that we're doing the right thing. That's what community in Richmond is supposed about,” said Lemon.
Organizers say Lewis has been overwhelmed, but she’s grateful for all the support.
Joreatha Lewis
"She wanted to thank the community for lifting her up, her family for being by her side, her friends for getting her out and still showing her a good time,” said Lemon.
Lewis is registered under Joreatha "Jojo" Lewis at Babies "R" Us, Target and Burlington Coat Factory.
