COCOA, Fla. – After Brevard County fire authorities said a child died Friday night in a Cocoa house fire, J’Aimee Carroll remembered 4-year-old Henry Basinger’s love of trains and Paw Patrol.
“He was perfect. He loved everybody. He just wanted to be everyone’s best friend,” Carroll, a friend of the family, said.
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Carroll said she was asked to help start a fundraiser to pay for a new place to live and for Henry’s funeral.
Carroll spoke to News 6 Monday outside the funeral home, where she said she was also helping the parents plan Henry’s service.
Donations reached more than $16,000, and GoFundMe told News 6 that a second fundraiser for the family brought in thousands more.
“Words cannot express just how grateful we are that these people have stepped up to the plate,” Carroll said. “It’s really heartwarming.”
Awaiting the complete findings of the state fire marshal, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said the fire looks to be an accident.
When asking Carroll how the fire started, she said the family wasn’t ready to talk about it.
Carroll said restaurant chains are donating food to the family for this week. She added that Basinger’s mother is a server at the Viera Texas Roadhouse.
To donate to the Basinger family, you can find their fundraisers here and here.
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