ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Family and friends are mourning the loss of a mother and her son killed in a fire early Saturday morning in Rochester.

The Rochester Fire Department said they received a call just before 5:30 a.m. Saturday with the report of people trapped inside a burning home on High Street.

Family has identified them as Virginia Ortiz, 25, Willie Nelson, 6, and Ameeya, 3.

Upon arriving, firefighters were able to pull them out of the home, but Ortiz and Willie later died at the hospital. Family said Ameeya remains in the hospital in critical condition.

“I woke up at 9 o’clock in the morning and my brother told me there was a fire,” said Ortiz’s sister, Heaven Meehan. “I called my sister and she tells me that my sister is gone and my nephew is gone. I just start screaming and crying and break down to the ground because I just didn’t know what to do. I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to throw up. It was so hard. It’s still so hard. It’s going to be hard for a while.”

On Sunday, family and friends held a vigil at the home they said Ortiz had just moved into a few weeks before.

“I was just talking to her,” said Ortiz’s niece, Mary Meehan. “She was so excited about moving into her new place.”

Ortiz’s sister and niece said first and foremost she was a devoted, loving and caring mother of four. So much so, the family was told Ortiz was downstairs when the fire occurred and she ran back upstairs to save her children. She was found upstairs covering her children.

“She was the best mom I ever knew as a young mother,” Mary said.

“She is my hero,” Heaven said. “I look up to her.”

Willie is described as a fun-loving six year old.

“He was a handful, he was awesome,” Mary said. “I’ll never forget my little nephew's smile.”

“He loved superheroes,” Heaven said. “He loved just playing with all his family. We’re a very family-oriented family. We always love be around each other. We love to love each other and do everything together.”

He was also like any other six-year-old would be to his older 10-year-old sister.

“I hung out with him,” his sister Tileah Otiz said. “I used to fight with him a lot and we used to hang out at school, on the bus usually.”

Now, as they work to cope and pray for Ameeya, the family said Ortiz and Willie will always be in their hearts.

“Love your children, love your family," Mary said. "Don’t let moments pass up where you can’t say, or you don’t say, ‘I love you.'"

Family said the two other children are currently staying with family, but need help with basic needs and with their future living situation.

The family is also looking for help with funeral costs. If you wish to help the family, you can visit the fundraising page a family friend has set up for them here.