Community remembers young father, two kids killed in Lithia mobile home fire

LITHIA, Fla. - A community is coming together to remember a young father and his two kids who were killed in a mobile home fire in Lithia Monday afternoon. 

Little 3-year-old Elijah rushed to wake up his mom, 22-year-old Veronica Bermudez, and dad, 22-year-old Angel Lopez, from a nap Monday afternoon after a fire started inside their mobile home. Veronica and Elijah made it out safely, but Angel and their two kids 5-year-old Angel, Jr. and 14-month-old Harmony didn't make it out in time.

"Three family members at once is horrible. We don't even know where to begin," Veronica's cousin Suzetta Peña said.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister says flames quickly overtook the home and officers were unable to find a safe entry to try and rescue the three others. As Veronica was escaping the fire she says the last thing she remembers is turning around and seeing her husband and their two kids still inside. 

RELATED: Father, 2 children found dead following Lithia mobile home fire

Veronica's cousin Suzette Peña says Angel was a loving husband to Veronica and a devoted father to their three kids.

"He went above and beyond anything for his kids. Anything. If he didn't have work for one day Angel would go look for another job that day to make his babies smile. He was a hard-working man," Peña said.

Tuesday night dozens of people in the community came with candles, teddy bears and flowers and put together a makeshift memorial to remember all three family members who lost their lives.

"From the bottom of my heart and from everybody in our family, we really do appreciate the community's help. Without them, we would struggle and make it a long process when know our family should be put to rest as soon as possible," Peña said.

Veronica and Elijah were released from the hospital late Tuesday. The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.