By Adam Kramer
Employees of North American Telecom have rallied to support their friend and fellow employee, Nicole Miller, whose 5-year-old son and parents died last week in a Cambria Heights fire that destroyed their home.
On the morning of Feb. 5, Miller, 22, returned to her parents' home at 216-10 115th Terrace to find the charred shell of their brick house ravaged by the fire.
The blaze, which fire officials said started from unattended scented candles burning through the night, killed her son, Giovanni, and her parents, Maurice and Grace Miller.
North American Telecom said the company has established a fund to help Miller, who has worked in the Westbury, L.I. office for only a few months.
“Nicole is such a sweet girl, and when we heard about the tragedy, we were all heart-broken,” said Larry Maglione, chief financial officer of North American Telecom. “This gesture is only a small token of how deeply we feel for her loss.”
David Parmet, spokesman for North American Telecom, said Miller began working as an office aide at the company in September.
He said her fellow workers “have the utmost respect for her” and the company wanted to help her in any way it could.
He said people who have spoken with Miller have said she is doing well under the circumstances, but it will take time for hear to overcome her grief.
The entire company attended the wake held Feb. 9 at Gilmore Funeral Home in St. Albans, Parmet said.
“Everyone in the office went out of respect and love for her,” he said. “She is a part of the family.”
“This is a tragedy,” said Joviane Matthews, who lives around the corner from the Millers. “The whole neighborhood is sad. They had been here for so long they were such good people.”
She said the Millers were a very close family and “stood together through thick and thin.”
“Every family has it ups and downs, but that was one family who stuck through it no matter what,” she said. “Every one is walking around in shock, saying that they wished there was something that could have been done, but it all happened so fast.”
“She is very strong and, given the circumstances, she is doing as best as can be expected,” said Maglione.
Donations to the fund can be made out to Bank of New York for Benefit of Nicole Miller:
Bank of New York/PCS
Att: Lina Femia
82 7th Street, 2nd Floor
Garden City, NY 11530
