ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A positive update on a St. Pete family who recently lost their home in a fire just days before their first baby's due date. Jenny and Tony Pham welcomed their baby boy, Tommy into the world at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Tony tells 10 Tampa Bay that the couple is happy that Tommy decided to wait a bit for them to get back on their feet, saying they recently found a place to rent.
There's also thanking the community members who offered support by sending clothes, baby gear and money after they lost everything in the fire.
People who'd like to donate to the GoFundMe or Amazon Registry set up by the community, click on the links attached.
Original story continues below.
A St. Pete couple expecting their firstborn son is rebuilding after losing their home one week ago.
Tony and Jenny Pham are expecting their son, Tommy, to be born any day now. However, on Tuesday, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue responded to their home on 10th Avenue North just north of St. Anthony's Hospital. Now, neighbors and the community are trying to raise funds and other needs for the couple.
"It means everything to me and my family," Tony Pham said. "I'm still in trauma."
Almost everything perished from the fire from clothes, appliances, furniture, books and all the baby gear collected in preparation for Tommy's arrival.
Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire and said it took two hours to put it out.
Tony said he had just gotten clothes out of the dryer when he noticed a burning smell coming from its vicinity. It didn't take long for neighbors to alert him about the fire. Only he, his grandmother and his dog were home.
A neighbor who happened to be a former Marine helped get his grandmother out of the home, he said.
From juggling work as a chemistry professor to finding a new place to live, Tony said it's been difficult to sleep lately with the added stress on top of preparing to become a father.
"My baby's due any moment now and when he comes out, I gotta be a father to that baby and have to be a good husband to my wife," he said.
For the soon-to-be father, what's more heartbreaking is knowing he had just lost the home he grew up in. However, Tony Pham adds he's grateful no one in his family was harmed.
Neighbor and pastor Kevin Kane said he considers Tony like a son. He's known him since he was a kid.
Kane helped start a GoFundMe for him and vows the community will be there to help the Pham family in any way they need.
Humble and intelligent were just among the qualities Kane said defined Tony.
"We love them all and love him and we're so happy to be able to help him at this trying time," Kane said. "They're going to have a future, and it's going to be a good one and we're going to be here with them and for them through it all."
Above all, Tony said he's grateful for the community support and looks forward to raising Tommy. The soon-to-be father, also a Tampa Bay Rays fan, said his son would coincidentally share the same name as former Rays player Tommy Pham.
"He's named after a famous baseball player and I'm a chemist, so he might be a future famous chemist. Who knows" he said.
Crews tried to remove as many family photos off the wall and also removed the orchids planted before it was destroyed by the fire, said Ashlie Handy, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue public information officer.
Handy added St. Pete Fire Rescue was also able to help provide funds to the family through a victims fund that's typically used to help families with children get back on their feet after a fire. Diapers, baby food, and other supplies were also provided.
If you'd like donate to the GoFundMe or Amazon Registry set up by the community, click on the links attached.