Photo: Moment RF
Two sisters known for their “big hearts” died on Thanksgiving after trying to rescue their father from a burning home in New Jersey.
According to CBS New York, 49-year-old Frantzia Fleury and her sister, Pojanee “PJ” Fleury, 42, were among the family members gathered at the Orange, New Jersey home for Thanksgiving, when a fire erupted around 5 p.m.
Relatives exited the home, but the sisters rushed back into the residence to save their father, who has dementia and limited mobility. Despite successfully getting their father out, the Fleury sisters didn't survive the fire. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said both women were pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m. Seven other family members, including the sisters' father, managed to escape.
Frantzia, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who later worked as an X-ray technologist, and Pojanee, founder of the wellness publication Brown Eyez Magazine, each leave behind a child.
“These two women had big hearts. They were very deeply devoted to their families. And it’s just a tragedy,” a cousin told ABC 7. “I don’t know how my aunt is gonna deal with this. My uncle… I don’t even know if he’s aware of what’s going on.”
The sisters' father is reportedly still in the hospital "fighting to recover" from smoke inhalation. A GoFundMe campaign has been created to raise money for the Fleury sisters' funeral expenses.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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