WHEN two-and-a-half year-old Taya Gibson tragically died in a house fire in Nelson Bay on August 27, her Singleton parents knew they would be well supported by their family and friends.

What has blown the family away is the support they are getting from complete strangers.

“It has been amazing,” Lana said.

“You read these stories about communities rallying behind people after tragedies but to experience it ourselves, it really is overwhelming and a shock, you just don’t expect it,” she said.

Both Jason Gibson and Lana Ford come from large Singleton families who were already showing support for the young couple who have had a difficult time after the birth of their youngest daughter, Emmerson.

Baby Emmerson, now 11 months of age, was very ill from birth and at the time of the fire, Jason and Lana were at her bedside in a Sydney hospital.

It is a nightmare that gets worse the more you talk to the couple.

How do they cope? The people of Singleton should know they are making a difference.

On Sunday around 200 people demonstrated that support by attending a family fun day to raise funds to help replace items lost in the fire and also to assist with Emmerson’s ongoing medical costs.

The couple particularly thank Anna and Karen Harrisand the Caledonian Hotel staff who were largely responsible for Sunday’s fund raiser.

They also want to thank all the people who supported the day, including the businesses, too numerous to name, who offered prizes and donations.

Emmerson was discharged from her Sydney hospital bed last week but will have ongoing medical treatment, for the rest of her life.

Lana wanted to assure the people of Singleton she is doing very well.

“This might sound a bit odd, but from the minute we were told about what happened to Taya, Emmersen seemed to get this new strength, she was laughing and smiling, it was as if Taya had given Emmerson her strength and her spirit,” Lana said.

“It is a real mix of emotion, we are incredibly thankful that Emmerson is doing so well but to have lost Taya is just so devastating, I don’t think any of us have had the time to emotionally deal with it,” Lana said.

Taya’s big sisters, Kalisha and Chelsea, are back at school, another milestone Lana and Jason are pleased to achieve.

“We know we all have a lot to get through but we just wanted to thank everyone and for them to know Singleton really is a very special place and I am so proud of my home town,” Lana said.