Hundreds gathered inside the Vardaman gymnasium Monday afternoon to mourn three children killed early Saturday morning when their home on First Street in Vardaman caught fire.
Seven-year-old twins Yobani and Isabel Razo and their nine-year-old brother Oscar were remembered Monday as happy children always eager to help their friends.
“They were very loving, sweet children, always smiling,” Vardaman Elementary Principal DeDee Lee said.
Yobani dreamed of being a preacher. Oscar wanted to be a football coach.
“Isabel was the cutest princess at Halloween,” VES?teacher Emily Hubbard said. “Her giggle was just infectious.”
Angela Barnett described them as shy, creative and hard workers in school.
“They were always wanting to help others,” Barnett said.
The school day Monday began with a counseling session at Vardaman Elementary to help all those in need to cope with the loss of the three students.
The Razos’ classmates chose to move the students’ clips to “Ram-tastic” – the highest level on the good behavior board – for the rest of the school year. Students also wore green, pink and blue ribbons, the children’s favorite colors, in memory of the Razos.
“They were well thought of by all their fellow students,” Hubbard said.
The fire occurred around 2:45 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 at 119 First Street in Vardaman. Kimberly Brown, the children’s mother who works at Mounce Supermarket, and their two older sisters, Madison and Courtney Brown, students at Vardaman High, all escaped the fire.
Firemen on scene said attempts to rescue the other children were thwarted when the fire consumed the entire house so quickly.
The home was completely engulfed when firemen arrived on scene.
“We tried to go in, but the fire was just too big,” Vardaman Chief Michael Whitten said.
The fire remains under investigation by the state fire marshal, but preliminary reports suggest it started from a portable space heater.
Firemen were among the many in attendance at Monday’s service, lining the back wall in full uniform.
A single coffin stood at the front of the gym with pictures of each of the three children.
“Life is a gift,” Bro. Archie Goodwin said during the service. “And a life that is honored is a life that is valued.”
Since the fire, the Vardaman community has rallied around the family to try and meet all their needs.
Devona Ward and Tony McNair allowed the family to move in to their late mother Nancy Carol McNair’s home a few blocks away until a permanent residence can be found. The home wasn’t furnished at the time, but it only took the community a few hours to cure that.
“Within four hours it was completely furnished, even down to dishes and groceries,” said VES Secretary Jeannie Winter, who lives next door to the McNair home. “Vardaman is an amazing community.”
People continually donated items at Vardaman First Baptist over the weekend and an account has been set up at BancorpSouth for anyone wanting to make a monetary donation.
“This is a tough time for this community,” Vardaman Police Chief Kenny Scott said. “The community has really rallied around this family trying to meet their needs. It’s really impacted all of us.”
