La Grulla family of newlywed UTRGV student loses everything in mobile home fire
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All that's left of the place Guadalupe Vargas Rodriguez and her family used to call home is a pile of charred debris now.
The family's hard work for a better place was gone in an instant after a fire destroyed their home in La Grulla on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.
“It was where my mom got to rebuild because we had a way smaller home. It took us a lot to save that money so we could have something to live in,” Vargas Rodriguez said.
Vargas Rodriguez, who is blind, is a UTRGV student. She said she lost her laptop and school books in the fire, and is going to be forced to drop out of college to focus full-time on helping her family.
Other items lost in the fire, Vargas Rodriguez said, cannot be replaced.
“I had just gotten married about a month ago, and so I lost my [wedding] dress and my husband's suit, I lost it all, my [wedding] photos,” Vargas Rodriguez said.
Vargas Rodriguez said she was home with her two younger brothers when the fire started. She said they heard a loud noise and then smelled smoke. They all managed to get out of the home before the fire and smoke took over.
“I couldn't stay in there to get my things because if I stayed, they would stay too, and they would follow me,” Vargas Rodriguez said. “I was going to be their leader because I needed to help them get out.”
Vargas Rodriguez and her family are staying with their relatives until they can find a new place to stay.
Their home may be gone, but Vargas Rodriguez said she's thankful to just be alive. It’s a second chance she said she doesn't take lightly.
“I was a premature baby, and I was going to lose my life.” Vargas Rodriguez said. “I had zero percent chance of living, so this is another opportunity. I feel like God has saved me many, many times, and I can't be more grateful."
Channel 5 News reached out to the La Grulla Fire Department to ask about the cause of the fire. Check back for updates.
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