Parents share story of love and loss after tragic deaths of children in house fire

SOUTH UNION TOWNSHIP, Pa. — DeAnna and Michael Weasenforth lost their two children one month ago in a tragic house fire.

RyLeigh and Gunner were 5 and 7 years old, and the best of friends. The Weasenforths sat down with Channel 11's Cara Sapida to share the heartbreaking account of the night they lost everything.

"Nobody could get through that bedroom, our dog tried to eat through the wall to get through the room," DeAnna said.

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They want the community to know they are thankful for all of the support, and feel it's time to share details about what happened on that tragic morning.

Michael said he used buckets of water to try to put the fire out, and the kids' grandfather suffered burns trying to run in to rescue them.

Now the couple wants everyone to know how wonderful their children were, and how their daughter's last breaths were trying to protect her brother.

"She had him look the opposite way, and she laid on top of it to hold him. They looked the opposite way of the fire and she held him and they went together," DeAnna said.

DeAnna has been undergoing chemo treatments for her Stage 4 cancer. She says her daughter was her best friend and number one supporter.

"Every morning RyLeigh would ask me if I was OK, when she came home from school she would ask how I was while she was gone," she said.

The Dolfi Funeral Home covered the expenses for the children, and while they haven't received the money from the GoFundMe yet, they are planning to use it to purchase a new house.

Meanwhile, their biggest comfort is in knowing that RyLeigh and Gunner are together, because some days it's too hard to move on without them.

"After this happened, I didn't want to take chemo anymore. I just wanted to be with her and my son, but I know that's not what she wants. I'm going to fight because that is what she wants," DeAnna said.

Another family lived in the rooms upstairs and also lost everything that terrible day. Their little girl was best friends with RyLeigh and Gunner. If you'd like to read more on their story or help them, CLICK HERE for a GoFundMe page.

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