Pocono News Section

Vigil Held to Honor Young Fire Victim

Vigil Held to Honor Young Fire Victim - Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 10:47PM EST

Reported by: Candice Kelly
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 @ 10:47pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- A vigil was held Thursday evening in memory of a baby girl who tragically died in a fire 1 year ago.

Dozens of family and friends placed momentous at the charred building to honor 6-month-old Emily Hockenbury. She died last July in an apartment fire in Wilkes-Barre.

Her mother, Allicia Balasavage, tried to save Emily but the baby breathed in too much smoke. Allicia received severe burns from the fire and she wasn't able to attend her daughter's funeral because of her condition.

Thursday night was her chance to say goodbye to Emily. "It’s been very hard as you can see, my burns they are very painful and it's very hard to get over," she said.

Allicia's mother Joanne Balasavage said, "We wanted it to be more of a celebration of her life than the sorrow, because we have to move on so that's what we're trying to do."

People at the vigil also held a moment of silence to honor little Emily ad to heal their broken hearts.