# @andytorres_a on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DabWuyzOdZX
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/67746678-andytorres-a-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/10cb8395eb.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-05T22:23:20.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Andy Torres (@andytorres_a) — https://gondola.cc/andytorres_a

## Caption

On July 3rd , my grandparent’s home in Arkansas burned down. Firefighters and first responders from every neighboring town worked from 11PM to 6 AM, nonstop, to fight the flames, and we are endlessly grateful for their effort and sacrifice. Thankfully, the shed still stands, the last remnant of a house that held three generations of our family.

This wasn’t just a house. My grandpa brought our entire family here, first from a small town in Mexico to California, then to Arkansas. This was the first home they ever lived in together, and it’s where three generations of memory, love, and laughter were built. Every one of the grandchildren grew up around this house, celebrated birthdays in it, played in the garden, gathered in the shed.

When my grandpa passed away, we held his funeral right here. It wasn’t just family who came, it was the whole community, everyone who had ever known him, for what felt like a 10-day gathering. That’s the kind of place this was: where friends and family from every chapter of life reunited.

We also lost our two family dogs, Muffin and Mini, in the fire. They held down the fort whenever the family was away, and Mini especially never left my grandma’s side. Ever since my grandpa passed away 2 years ago, I loved knowing Mini was around to keep her company. Since my grandma is blind, Mini was there 24/7 as her eyes and ears! We buried them in the front yard, another piece of this land that will always carry their memory.

By a kind of coincidence none of us can quite explain, all the grandchildren, scattered across five different states, happened to already be gathered this week, 4th of July weekend, when the fire happened. Whatever the reason, we’re grateful we got to face this together instead of apart.

We don’t yet know exactly what comes next, but nothing will replace what happened in that home. We set up a GoFundMe to help with costs. Any donation or simply sharing the fundraiser would mean the world to us. Thank you for reading our story and for keeping us in your thoughts.

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 258
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 67

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Andy Torres | @andytorres_a | https://gondola.cc/andytorres_a | Animator - 3D |

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