It's been one week since an apartment fire in Tacoma took the life of a grandmother and sent her 5-year-old grandson to the hospital. On Monday, the boy's mother gave an update on his condition and the road to recovery that still lies ahead.
Connie Roberson thanked the public for their support and prayers over the last seven days. She'd been out of town and got off a plane last Monday evening to a series of frantic messages that there had been a fire at her mother's apartment.
"They said your son is at the hospital but your mom did not make it," said Connie. "I would never wish this on my worst enemy. I just feel lost." Deneen Evans, Roberson's mom, died in the fire.
Roberson's 5-year-old son, Omaj Roberson, was badly burned, but is recovering at Harborview Medical Center. Monday marked a milestone, when doctors were able to remove his breathing tube for the first time.
"He's stable, but it's still a long fight that we have," said Connie. "Omaj has burns on his hands. He has a third degree burn on his back. He has burns on his ear and on his forehead on the left side of his body."
Connie's essentially been living at the hospital, and is with her son most hours of the day. But when he's released from the hospital, she says she doesn't know yet where they'll go. The pair had been living with Roberson's mom in the apartment where the fire took place.