SARANAC, NY – The family of a 21-year-old man who died in an early-morning fire Saturday in Saranac said they are overwhelmed by the support their family has received since the tragedy, including more than $50,000 in donations to a GoFundMe account.
“It’s restored my faith in humanity,” said Robbie Velie’s father, Robert.
Robbie Velie, his girlfriend Katelynn Damoura, and her 2-year-old son Diesel Cook were killed in the fire when they became trapped inside the building. Three other people managed to escape. .
“He was just a great kid,” Robbie’s mom Kara Velie said. “There’s nobody around here that ever had anything bad to say about him. He would help anybody out.”
Robert Velie said the GoFundMe donations has lifted the burden of funeral and service expenses.
Robbie and Katelynn had been together since September. Robbie’s sister, Kaelie Brien, said Katelynn and Diesel had made Robbie as happy as he’s ever been.
“Even though Diesel obviously wasn’t Robbie’s kid, he loved Diesel like he was his own and he’d do anything for him,” she said.
Hours before the fire, Robbie and Katelynn, who were expecting a child together, had a gender reveal party hours before the fire. “When he found out he was having a son, it was the proudest and happiest I’ve ever seen him,” said Robert.
At the end of the party, they had been discussing a name they liked for their son: Oliver Robert Velie, who was due August 10th. Through the tragedy, the family has been able to look back and smile about Robbie, who they described as the heart of their family, someone who was kind, generous and who would never leave without saying goodbye and I love you.
The family is grateful to everyone in the community for their support. And they want to make sure people who donated to the GoFundMe, even though they didn’t know Robbie, knows the the kind of person he was.
They said after funeral expenses are paid for, any remaining money from the GoFundMe will be used to set up a charity, foundation or scholarship to give back to the people that helped them.
