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Grieving Son's Last Hug for Mom Lost in Bronx Fire
27 Apr
Summary
- An 80-year-old woman died after a fire in her Bronx apartment.
- The victim suffered from a degenerative neurological disorder.
- Her son recalls a final, poignant hug just a week prior.
An 80-year-old woman succumbed to injuries sustained in a fire that broke out in her Bronx apartment building on April 16. The victim, Ana Serrano, lived with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neurological disorder that affected her mobility and breathing.
Her son, Isaí Serrano, recounted a deeply emotional final encounter, sharing a "strongest hug" with his mother just a week before the tragic event. He was present with her that morning for a virtual doctor's appointment before the fire erupted.
Serrano was home with her other son when the blaze started on the second floor. He was present during the fire and made efforts to help her escape the building. She was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
Doctors informed the family that smoke inhalation was the likely cause of death, though an official determination is pending from the city Medical Examiner. Serrano, who moved from Puerto Rico to New York in the 1970s, was remembered as a "joyful" and "selfless" woman.
She was a talented seamstress and enjoyed writing poetry. Despite her own health struggles and widowhood in 2005, she cared for her husband, who had Parkinson's disease. The family celebrated her 80th birthday on Thanksgiving last year.
