Friends, neighbors and strangers gathered in Trenton for an emotional candlelight vigil honoring two children killed in a devastating house fire earlier this week. Seven-year-old Disleiny Santana and 11-year-old Rolando Santana were two of six children in their family. The family had been living in the home on Hewitt Street for just two days when the fire broke out around 4a.m. on Aug. 26, 2026. Disleiny Santana and Rolando Santana Their family was too overcome with grief to attend the vigil, but the community gathered to show its support. “Tonight is really just about everybody showing up and giving the support because they really need it,” family friend Latoya Darrain said. Friends organized the vigil where balloons, candles and messages formed a memorial to the children. Neighbors and strangers touched by the tragedy also came to pay their respects. “There’s so much heart in the city of Trenton. People really show up for one another and this touched the lives of so many,” Trenton Councilwoman Jenna Figueroa Kettenberg said. Those gathered shared prayers, tears and memories of the two children. “The kids, they were at my house every day,” Darrain said. As people hugged and lit candles, they rallied around a family facing an unimaginable loss. “They’re doing the best they can, but there’s a lot of tears. A lot of tears,” Darrain said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Santana family has created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover housing and funeral-related costs. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less