A fire tore through an Alton family's home On Aug. 1, leaving a high school senior with almost nothing as she prepares to start her final year.

The Mendoza family has lived in the home for seven years. The fire damaged the ceiling, covered the living room in insulation, and charred the walls.

Erendira Mendoza lived there with her husband and daughter, Kaylee, who attends Nikki Rowe High School. The family was out playing loteria when the fire broke out.

"As soon as my daughter was coming into the house, she said, 'mom, the house is on fire,' so I was like, 'what do you mean?' and I came this way, and I saw the house, and there was nothing we could do," Erendira said.

The fire destroyed nearly everything the family owned. It happened just weeks before the start of Kaylee's senior year.

"I lost all my letterman, all my clothes, and all my shoes. Technically my whole room and absolutely everything," Kaylee said.

Kaylee also lost a memory box filled with pictures from her years in high school.

"It just means something that I overcame throughout the years," Kaylee said.

She also lost her cheerleading uniform, but her coach was able to get her a replacement.

Kaylee said she is not letting the fire take away from her senior year.

"I always wanted my senior year to be the best, to have fun activities, and I am going to make the best out of it and not let this tragic moment come to me and just keep moving forward with my life," Kaylee said.

Channel 5 News reached out to the Alton Fire Department to find out what caused the fire and is still waiting to hear back.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family recover from the fire. Click here to donate. 

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