LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- What started as a Christmas filled with joy quickly in Lafayette turned into a nightmare for the Batiste family, after a fire destroyed their home and all of their belongings.

"Everything is a total loss," Candace Batiste, the mother, said. "We couldn't save anything. The short time we were here, we made a lot of memories in here. It's hard, like little things I had left of my dad that were sentimental to me, I lost it all."

Batiste said their Christmas Day started like any other, with the family gathered together to open their presents and celebrate the time together.

Later, as the family loaded in the car to visit more relatives, Batiste said a terrifying call came.

"We left that afternoon to go to my grandmother's, and when I got to my grandmother we were sitting down, and they told me I needed to get up and come," Batiste said. "Then my son finally told me the house was on fire. When I got here it was still up in flames a little bit."

The fire would result in a total loss of all the family's belongings, including clothing, furniture and Christmas presents.

The family dog was also killed in the flames.

In the days since the fire, Batiste said she is still unsure what their next move will be, but the strength of her family is providing a light of hope.

"I have a family, a very united family, and everybody came together," Batiste said. "It's given me a lot of strength with my family being there for me, for me and my kids. The only thing that's keeping me going."

And as the Batiste family struggles to move forward, they're thankful they don't have to do it alone. They've already been reached out to by some of our News 10 viewers who are willing to donate supplies and a helping hand. One donor has already volunteered to give furniture and clothing for the children.

A GoFundMe has also been setup to support the family as they attempt to move on.

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