Emerson Rallies Around Family Of Late EMT After House Fire

EMERSON, NJ — A Bergen County community is rallying around a local family after a mother and her two sons have suffered a second tragedy in just over a year.

A fundraiser has been created for Valderes Toulouzan-Vaporakis and her twin sons, Alexander and Mihalis after a fire ripped through the family home on Sanford Avenue on Dec. 7.

The fire left the home in need of repairs, and smoke damage is "extensive", according to a GoFundMe fundraiser established for the family.

Lisa Leuck, the organizer of that fundraiser, said the damage "destroy[ed] most, if not all, of their personal belongings."

Find the fundraiser link here.

Prior to the fire, the family had been coping with another loss, after Vaporakis' husband, a driver with Emerson Volunteer Ambulance Corps, died in May of 2020.

"It’s with a heavy heart that EVAC announces the passing of one of our volunteers. Hristos 'Chris' Vaporakis served as a driver for the last 7 years," officials said at the time.

A 2o20 fundraiser, which collected over $25,000 for the family, detailed not only their struggles, but their importance to the community.

"This poor family has been through so much in the last two months. In the middle of Chris being sick, Val’s mother Marta passed away on April 2nd. Chris not only loved his family and friends, but he loved his community. Chris gave back to his community for the last 7 years by serving as a driver for the Emerson Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The Vaporakis family is always there to lend a helping hand, and now its time for us to help them."

The community has come up big for the family again this year, with over $2,000 raised in just one day. But, more than that, Leuck said the family has felt the support of their neighbors.

"Valderes and her boys are humbled with gratitude by the donations they have received so far," she wrote.

The fundraiser is seeking to raise $10,000 for the family.