A North Texas 911 dispatcher experienced a nightmare she never expected – hearing a house fire broadcast over the radio during her shift, only to learn it was her own home. Maria Castrejon, a 911 dispatcher for the city of Denton, was on shift overnight Saturday when the fire broke out in Krum shortly after 2 a.m. on Jan. 19. Denton County 911 dispatch handled the call, but requests for additional units went out through the city of Denton 911 dispatch. That’s when Castrejon heard the urgent radio alerts and recognized her own address. “It was definitely just a surreal moment and something I never imagined would happen to us,” she told NBC 5. “I remember looking at my coworker next to me and I feel like everything went in slow motion at that moment. I just grabbed my belongings and told the supervisor I had to go, and I rushed home.” On her way to the scene, she was able to confirm with her parents over the phone that they were OK. Castrejon’s mother and father were sleeping inside the home when the fire broke out but managed to escape along with their Chihuahua, just moments before the fire consumed much of the house. Her mother suffered from smoke inhalation but fortunately avoided hospitalization. Castrejon’s parents “I feel like that’s every dispatcher’s worst nightmare just to have to send help to your own house because I hadn’t known yet whether or not my family was OK,” said Castrejon. The fire, smoke, and water damage left her family with little to salvage, destroying nearly all of their belongings. Her father had also just built the home a year ago and had plans to retire there in the near future. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Castrejon says she’s thankful her family made it out unscathed. “My main focus is just making sure my parents have what they need right now,” she said. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them. And they deserve the whole world for how they raised me and my brother. So as long as they’re OK, I’m OK. And that’s the way I see it.” To assist the family, the police department encouraged Castrejon to create a GoFundMe page, which has nearly reached its goal. The funds are helping the family to cover urgent needs such as clothing, food, and medical expenses. Back the Blue of Denton County has also organized a meal train for the family. The bed where Castrejon’s parents were sleeping just moments before the fire consumed the home. Castrejon said she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from her colleagues and the community. “I never expected everyone to be so helpful and so kind to us. We wouldn’t be doing as okay as we are now without their help,” she said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Castrejon said thankfully, that her family has home insurance and is planning the next steps on how to rebuild. For now, the 22-year-old said she is leaning on her training in her growing career as a dispatcher to stay calm and focused in the aftermath of this tragedy. While the road to recovery will be challenging, she remains hopeful. “I feel like with my job, I see a lot of bad. A lot of people making really, really horrible decisions. But just being able to see that there are some good people, who also have the ability to be kind and helpful. I feel like that’s what everyone needs in life,” she said. “And just being able to pass that forward to other people goes a really long way.” If you would like to help, click here.