The O'Brien family.

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

The O’Brien family is trying to make sense of a reality that changed in an instant. 

Their father, Thomas “Tom” O’Brien, was killed when a fire tore through their Fairfax County home before sunrise on Nov. 29, leaving them without him, without their belongings, and without the place they built their lives around. 

Friends say the family has been leaning on each other and on the people around them who refused to let them face the first days of this loss alone.

Fairfax County Fire/Rescue crews were called to the 5400 block of Guinea Road in Kings Park West shortly before 3:15 a.m. for a two-alarm fire that was already pushing heavy smoke from the house. 

Firefighters rescued two people inside the home as flames spread through the structure. 

The Fairfax fire.

The Fairfax fire.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue

Three civilians and one firefighter were taken to the hospital, two of whom suffered non-life-threatening injuries, before members of the Fairfax County Fire Department brought the blaze under control. 

Tom O'Brien didn’t make it out. 

His death has left the family trying to plan a funeral while also figuring out how to rebuild their lives from the ground up.

Friends have taken them in and covered day-to-day needs as they try to regain their footing. Loved ones say the support has been constant, but the reality of what comes next is still overwhelming.

A GoFundMe created by family friend Joey Lee has already raised more than $51,000 to help cover burial expenses and replace the essentials the family lost in the fire. Funeral services are scheduled for Dec. 18 and 19 in Fairfax, and messages of support continue to come in from neighbors and total strangers who read about what happened.

"We're sad to share that Tom O'Brien, a long-time youth football coach and father, passed this weekend in a house fire," BRYC. Football posted on Facebook. "Please consider contributing to help support his family in their time of need.

The GoFundMe can be found here.

"The passing of Tom has left their family grieving as well as trying to recover," Lee said. "Fortunately, friends have helped them with day-to-day expenses and shelter, but the family would be grateful for any support from friends to defray the costs of burial and help them get back on their feet."