A 30-year-old Maltese woman with five children was met with a flood of support after their Ħamrun home was destroyed in a fire.

“I was with my second son when I got a call from a neighbour that my house was on fire. They rescued my dogs and called me from the number on their collar. I was speechless and I’m still in shock,” Alexia Briffa told Lovin Malta.

By yesterday afternoon, their house on Triq Meltinone Scerri Ħamrun was completely burnt – all their clothes, personal belongings, furniture and even Christmas presents were gone.

Briffa and her family were left with just the clothes on their back.

Seeing the family is such distress, Briffa’s close friend reached out on social media to appeal for help.

Hundreds of citizens and business owners responded – offering support through clothes, furniture, uniforms for the children, blankets, towels and money donations.

Staff from a local secondary school even offered to give the money raised in the festive season to support the family.

“So many people have offered a helping hand. They gave me essentials like clothes, furniture, food while Minister for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes helped get a roof over my family’s head.”

Briffa says she’s beyond grateful for the unexpected outpour of help.

“I didn’t expect this at all. I’m beyond words, I don’t know how to show my gratitude.”

“I would like to thank every one of those who reached out from the bottom of mine and my children’s hearts. I hope God, who is looking over us, looks over them too,” she continued on the verge of tears.

The Briffa family will stay in Gżira until further notice. And while they may have lost their material belongings, they’ve got the good hearts of strangers in these extraordinary times.

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