Grace and Gabriel’s Story
Grace Chidubem Ekohwo and her then, 3 week old son Gabriel, were residents of The Archie Foundation’s Family Centre after losing their home to a terrifying flat fire.
Grace shares that on the evening of the 29 January 2024, she heard disturbances and shouting at around 6.30pm. When she went to see what was happening, she saw figures outside gesturing for her to leave her flat. She explains that she went to enquire and “just as I opened the door, I was covered in thick dark smoke that almost got me choking.”
With baby Gabriel still in her arms, Grace, although dazed and confused by the fire alarm noise and smoke, ran to the bathroom. She wetted a towel and placed it over the 3 week old to try and protect him from the heat and smoke. She describes “every single passing moment I saw the smoke increasing, I paced from one room to another trying to open the windows, but could only get the bedroom window where I was with Gabriel opened.”
Using the light on her phone, she signalled out of the window and thankfully, the police and fire service arrived just in the nick of time. “When we were both covered in the thick smoke, I saw the fire service come up with a ladder to the window”. Baby Gabriel was taken down first and went straight to the ambulance to be given immediate care. The police then took Grace and baby to The Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH) where Gabriel stabilised and went for tests.
On Wednesday 31 January, 2 days after the ordeal, Grace and Gabriel were officially discharged from the hospital. With their flat having been ruined by the fire, the little family would have had nowhere to go if The Archie Foundation’s Family Centre hadn’t been there. From Wednesday night, they checked into the facility and stayed there until they found temporary accommodation on the Monday. “Through their loving and caring personnel, we were in every way and sense cared for. We lacked nothing we needed at that instance.” The Family Centre, which is offered to families free of charge, helps keep families close during times that a child is in the hospital overnight. With private rooms, laundry facilities and a lounge for cooking and playing, it’s built to be like a home away from home.
Having lost Gabriel’s pram to the fire, Grace was unable to take him on walks. Through The Archie Foundation’s Financial Support service, a two in one travel system pushchair was bought for them. Grace explains how much The Archie Foundation has helped. “We are tremendously excited and very grateful. I and my family are feeling very relieved. We feel very loved and cared for by Archie Foundation. We left for a temporary place on Monday 5th February, 2024. But at the moment, The Archie Foundation is still giving us their moral support. Thank you The Archie Foundation.”
To find out more about the Family Centre or whether you can be supported through our Financial Support service, visit our Get Support page.
