DEFIANCE, Mo. — On Friday night, a huge crowd of mourners gathered at Good News Brewing in Defiance to remember two little boys who died in a house fire and to hold their loved ones in their hearts.
"This is so sad. God bless them little boys," said neighbor Sharon Oberlag.
A teary-eyed Oberlag was among the many who attended the private, somber event.
Oberlag couldn't stop thinking about 6-year-old Jameson Keiser and his 4-year-old brother, Julian.
"And them little boys were the most precious little things ever, ever! They were beautiful and just so full of it and cute all the time," Oberlag said.
Shortly before 8 Friday morning, St. Charles County police officers were the first to respond to a fire at the family's home on Highway 94 South.
The children's mother and grandparents were able to get out, but investigators said Jamison and Julian were trapped and died in the fire.
Oberlag knows the family.
"I grew up with a lot of them. Good people. Anything ever come up in this town, they were the first to volunteer and help," Oberlag said.
"Oh, it was terrible. I felt so bad for them," said Christy Warnecke, a Defiance mail carrier.
"The family is grieving. We're all grieving and we're all here to support them," said Dan Tripp, a family friend who organized a GoFundMe page to support the children's family. "The kids went to Daniel Boone Elementary School and that community is grieving. My daughter rode the bus with those kids and now there are going to be two empty seats."
Now, a strong show of support for the family who lost their two little ones, their home and everything inside.
During the prayer vigil, people gave what they could.
The GoFundMe page which started with just a few hundred dollars Friday morning quickly grew within hours to more than $70,000 and climbing.
"That's good to see because they're going to need all the help they can get, " said Christy Warnecke.
"God's still in control of all of this. He'll get us through this. Our community will get through this," said Dan Tripp.
If you'd like to help out the family, click on this link to their GoFundMe.