Cleyona Atkinson (left) and her mother, Yvette Sterling, who were left homeless after a fire destroyed their house at Gem Road, Kingston in 2007, outline the trauma they have experienced over the last few years during a recent interview at The Gleaner Company Ltd. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

The tears raining down her cheeks painted the picture of her painful past as Yvette Sterling, 54, related the trauma she has had to endure over the last five years.

In March 2007, Sterling, along with 11 members of her family - mostly children between five months and 12 years old - was left homeless as a result of a fire at Gem Road in the usually volatile Wilton Gardens (Rema) community.

Initial reports pointed to arson as the cause of the blaze, which flattened their four-bedroom dwelling.

Refuge with strangers

Since then, the family has been torn apart, each seeking refuge with family and friends, even strangers.

"Trust me, it rough. We split up. I still live in the same community, some of the kids are in Gregory Park, Portmore, but di condition bad. Gunshot ah fire daily," she said. "The place name 'Gulf', suh yuh must know. Some also deh inna Maxfield. We deh all over the place."

Sterling's daughter, Cleyona Atkinson, was a bit more composed as she told The Gleaner how difficult it has been trying to cope with the losses.

"At times, it's hard to make ends meet. We go days without food, it has really devastated us," Atkinson said.

The only things spared in the blaze were their lives. It was the act of a puppy, however, that added a bittersweet twist to the story.

"We had a little puppy. When the fire started, he ran into the house and pulled the baby outta di house. She was five months at that time," she told The Gleaner.

"The puppy went back into the house and something fell on him," Sterling joined in.

Puppy burned to death

Trapped inside the blazing inferno, the heroic puppy burned to death.

Sterling is no stranger to tragedy. In 2004, her daughter Cletha Atkinson was shot and killed and, in October 2006, her son Ricardo Atkinson also fell victim to bullets.

As if that was not enough for one person to handle, five months later, her house was torched.

This catastrophe has shattered what was left of her already broken heart.

"Mi daughter guh look fi her boyfriend and dem kill di two a dem inna Portmore. My son now, me see when him dead, but mi never know say is him until after. Di man just put the gun a him head an squeeze the trigger," she said with tears running down her cheek.

The hill Sterling has to climb on her recovery path has seemingly got a bit steeper, forcing her to intensify her cries for help.

"Where I am living now, mi have until the 17th of next month to leave," she pointed out.

Sterling is now making a desperate plea to the public for assistance.

"I am just asking for some assistance. Please, please, as much as I need the help, the cry is more for the kids. I can sew, so if I could get a machine, that would really help out. I have another sewing machine but I want a part for it," she pleaded.

"Anything we get, we will be really grateful for," said Atkinson.