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A California man plans to propose to his girlfriend at New Year’s Eve died in a house fire on Christmas Day while looking for a ring.
Firefighters were dispatched to the fire around 6:15 a.m. Wednesday and later found Steven Weatherford Jr. unconscious in the house, according to officials from Oakland Fire Department.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, possibly from smoke inhalation, officials said. No other injuries were reported.
Family members have identified the victim who died in an Oakland house fire on Christmas morning as 37-year-old Steven Weatherford Jr.
“Steve was truly the best person you could ever meet. He loved his family very much, his friends, everything. He died trying to get them out of the house,” Weatherford’s girlfriend, LaShante Mayo, told Fox 2 as she stood outside the burned home .
Authorities said the fire was “accidental,” and Weatherford — who was visiting home in Oakland to celebrate the holidays — rescued his father, aunt and brother before going back inside to look for something.
Family members have identified the victim who died in an Oakland house fire on Christmas morning as 37-year-old Steven Weatherford Jr.
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The family said Weatherford returned to retrieve an engagement ring that was in a safe, according to Fox 2. Weatherford recently bought a ring for his girlfriend and planned to propose to her on New Year’s Eve.
“He was going to propose, yes,” Mayo said. “I didn’t know, they told me this morning. … I gave up on love until I met him.”
Officials told Fox News Digital on Thursday that, to their knowledge, the ring was not found after the fire.
Family members have identified the victim who died in an Oakland house fire on Christmas morning as 37-year-old Steven Weatherford Jr.
The neighborhood created a GoFundMe campaign to help families with current financial needs and memorial day expenses. By Thursday afternoon, nearly $10,000 in donations had been collected.
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The fundraiser notes that Weatherford’s father, who lost his son and home in the fire, is still mourning the recent loss of his wife.
The organizers of the GoFundMe did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Fox 2 San Francisco’s Aja Seldon, Jesse Gary and Sami Mamou contributed to this story.
