TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The community is reaching out to help 12-year-old twins who lost their only living parent in Sunday’s casino shuttle boat fire in Pasco County.

42-year-old mother Carrie Dempsey was on the shuttle boat that caught fire while transporting passengers to the Tropical Breeze Casino on Sunday afternoon. Dempsey and 49 passengers and crew members had to jump from the burning boat into very cold water and make their way to the shore after the boat’s captain turned the smoking shuttle around to get closer to land.

Dempsey died at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.  A hospital spokesperson said Dempsey went home after the fire, but became ill and went to the hospital where she passed away on Sunday night. 14 passengers were injured in the incident.

Dempsey’s death is especially tragic for her children, Chad and Meghan who are 12-year-old twins. Dempsey had been raising the twins as a single parent after her husband died from an illness in 2011.

Now, Chad and Meghan have lost both parents. They said goodbye to their mother during her funeral Thursday in Lutz.

“Carrie will be remembered for her sense of humor, quick wit and infectious laugh, but mostly as a devoted and loving mother,” said her obituary.

“They adored her,” said Carrie’s uncle Chuck Wien, who traveled to the Tampa Bay area to attend his niece’s funeral. Wien said it was especially tragic that his niece, who was a widow, died as a result of the boat fire.

“She’s the only one who died out of those 50 people,” said Wien.

Chad and Meghan will now live with their grandparents in Carrollwood.

Wien said Chad and Meghan’s school has created a GoFundMe page to help pay for their living expenses and college tuition.

“Many of you may be aware of the devastating boat fire that occured on Sunday, January 14, 2018 in Port Richey, FL.  What you may not know is that it took the life of a wonderful mom, who left behind 12-year-old twins, Chad and Megan Dempsey.  Sadly, their father passed away in 2011.   Fortunately, Chad and Megan have loving grandparents who will now care for them.

We are reaching out to raise funds for Chad and Megan’s care and education,  that their grandparents may not have been financially prepared for.  Chad and Megan are two kind-hearted, athletic and academically gifted children who deserve a bright future.  They have incurred so much loss and heartache in their short lives. No donation is too small to help the Dempsey Family.  Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity,” said a post on the GoFundMe page.

As of 11 a.m. on Friday, the fundraising goal for the children was $50,000. $28,759 has been donated by 367 people in two days.Visit the “The Dempsey Family- Loss of Parents” GoFundMe page here. RELATED STORIES-