HOUSTON – A family whose belongings were stolen during their cross-country move to Houston expressed gratitude Wednesday for the outpouring of support that has helped them get back on their feet.
KPRC 2′s Jacob Rascon reported on the Martinez family’s plight. The family traveled to Houston from California last week and awoke one morning to discover their packed belongings, moving truck and car had been stolen.
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A family member set up a GoFundMe account to help, and within hours it had gathered 94% of its $50,000 goal. By Wednesday night, more than $58,000 had been raised.
In a statement sent to KPRC 2 on Wednesday, the Martinez family said they were overwhelmed by the people who have stepped up to help.
“To the Houston community…WOW!” the family wrote in the statement. “The way that you’ve supported complete strangers and embraced us is beyond anything we could’ve imagined!”
The family said they have not only received financial help, but they’ve also been “inundated with physical donations.”
‘We will pay it forward’
In their statement, the Martinez family said they received enough support to restore what they have lost and now it is time to “pay it forward.”
“God has worked on us all during this time, walking us through a situation that seemed impossible,” the family wrote in the statement. “And we plan to … bless others. Between the holidays and a pandemic numerous people are in need of help.”
The family told KPRC 2 they are working with a Houston-area church to locate families in need who they can help.
Full statement
Here’s the entire statement the Martinez family sent to KPRC 2:
“We first want to say we are completely blown away by the generosity that was shown to our family. We have been in shock for awhile. First, because of the actual event but mostly by the overwhelming way people have shown up for us. A HUGE Thank you to all of our family and friends who have supported us during this trying time. We love you and are forever grateful.
“To the Houston community...WOW! The way that you’ve supported complete strangers and embraced us is beyond anything we could’ve imagined! The financial support that has been donated by everyone was mind blowing. We have been ABUNDANTLY blessed! Thank you a million times to everyone. We wish We could personally thank every single one of you. We have been inundated with physical donations as well. The offers have been so generous! Please forgive us if we can’t get back to every email or offer. As soon as we get into our home we will have a better idea of how much we can actually receive. We are grateful for you all and inspired by the amount of love we have been surrounded by.
“Another note, although this time has been trying for our family we want to acknowledge that there are so many people going through their own struggles. To all the people who may have given all they had to us, we love you and we see you. God bless you. We have spoke as a family as how we will pay it forward. This has not just been a campaign to raise money, this has been a blessing that needs to be shared. God has worked on us all during this time, walking us through a situation that seemed impossible. And we plan to to bless others.
“Between the holidays and a pandemic numerous people are in need of help. Due to the generous donations from our friends, family and the great people of Houston we are able to restore what we have lost. We feel it’s now time to step back and allow other families to have their go fund me’s focused on.”