close
close

Association-anemone

Bite-sized brilliance in every update

2 weeks after the fire that killed 2 teenagers, the family is grateful for the community’s help
asane

2 weeks after the fire that killed 2 teenagers, the family is grateful for the community’s help

COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, Ohio — It’s been more than two weeks since a devastating fire in Coventry Township claimed the lives of two teenagers and seriously injured their grandmother.

Abigayle Mates, 17, and her brother Adrian Mates-Mata, 15, were killed after a fire broke out in their home on Cove Avenue around 3am on October 30.

2 teenagers are dead after a house fire in Coventry Township

RELATED: 2 teenagers are dead after a house fire in Coventry Township

Mary Rodriguez, 68, remains in critical condition in the burn unit at Akron Children’s Hospital.

According to her son, Donnie Carpenter, Rodriguez has burns over 50 percent of her body.

“She’s had two surgeries for skin grafts and she has to have (tracheotomy) surgery to help her breathe because she’s having trouble breathing,” Carpenter said.

Adding to the heartbreak, Rodriguez is currently unable to speak, so the family doesn’t know if she realizes her grandchildren died in the fire.

“I haven’t talked about the kids with Mary because there’s no communication back. I just feel like it’s really unfair,” said Carpenter’s wife, Christine Shreve.

The brothers were students at Coventry High School. Abigayle was a junior. Adrian was a freshman.

Carpenter and Shreve said Abigayle wanted to go into nursing. Adrian was known for his passion for football.

“Just booming, awesome kids. They’re good kids. They’ve got big hearts,” Shreve said.

The family continues to draw strength from the goodwill of the community, including a vigil held days after the fire.

The Upper Deck Bar and Grill also held a fundraiser for the family.

At the McDonald’s where Abigayle worked, Coventry art students Ashlyn Smith, Kaitlyn Osborne, Makayla Quesenberry, Kayla Rosser and Julia Kozlowski created a memorial tribute to the siblings on the restaurant’s windows.

McDonald’s also raised $3,239 through 15 percent of sales, with proceeds going directly to the Mates family to help cover funeral expenses.

Carpenter said he is grateful for the outpouring of community support.

“It means everything, just to give you a little … restore faith in humanity,” Carpenter said. “I also wanted to thank the children they went to school with. These kids go through a lot.”

Coventry’s fire chief said the cause of the fire was undetermined and likely to remain so.

follow

Want to continue watching a story? Let us know.