Brooklyn, NY – Almost two years after losing seven of her eight children to a catastrophic fire caused by a faulty hotplate, Gayle Sassoon is hoping to build a family center on the Midwood lot where her home once stood.
In a rare interview, Mrs. Sassoon told the New York Post that the power of positive thinking has helped her cope with the unfathomable tragedy that took the lives of her children Eliane, David, Rivkah, Yehoshua, Moshe, Sara and Yaakov who ranged from five to sixteen years of age.
As previously reported on VIN News, the March 2015 fire is believed to have been caused by a faulty hotplate left on over Shabbos.
“I want to turn tears into triumphs,” said Mrs. Sassoon, who suffered extensive injuries in the fire.
A crowdfunding campaign has been established to fund the project which would include seven divisions, one for each of the Sassoon children who perished in the blaze. Mrs. Sassoon’s vision includes separate men’s and women’s learning centers and a library, among other initiatives.
The building will also include seven pillars, each one bearing a name of one of the Sassoon children who lost their lives.
A large indoor atrium would be dedicated in honor of Siporah Sassoon, the only one of the Sassoon children to survive the fire. Mrs. Sassoon plans to incorporate pictures of her children, their toys and some of their artwork into the building’s design.
“For anyone to think about my kids in a sad light, I couldn’t sleep at night,” Sassoon said. “They were just so full of life and that’s what I want this project to show.”
To make a tax deductible donation to the Sassoon 7 Project go to https://www.gofundme.com/the-sassoon-7-project.
As reported by Vos Iz Neias