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SALT LAKE CITY — After seeing KSL-TV's story about firefighters saving a 15-year-old girl's quinceañera dress from her burning home Sunday, Jeff Kitches, general manager of Certified Restoration Dry Cleaning Network's northern Utah location, knew he had to step in and help Krystal Bustamante get her dress ready for her big celebration.
"I just figured, well, why not reach out to them and see if we can help," Kitches said.
He knew how important this coming-of-age celebration would be for Bustamante and her family.
"I've attended a few quinceañeras myself and I know how extravagant they are. They're like weddings," he said. "I know how much this means to her."
The Salt Lake City firefighters battled the massive blaze at her home near 561 N. Redwood Road early Sunday morning and managed to salvage Bustamante's special dress.
"It's neat that they saved it and we were able to clean it and give it back to her," Kitches said.
On Wednesday, Kitches and his partner, Meredith Bubnis, personally delivered Bustamante's newly restored bright turqouise quinceañera dress to the hotel where the Utah Red Cross put up her and her family after the fire.
Bustamante's eyes filled with tears as she saw the dress under the plastic. She hugged Kitches and Bubnis and thanked them, and then handed an invitation to her quinceañera to Kitches and insisted he attend as a token of her gratitude.
"It makes me feel good to help you and your family however we can," Kitches said.
Bustamante explained the meaning behind this dress and her quinceañera celebration ran deep.
"My grandmother died a month before I turned 14, and we were going to start planning," Bustamante said. "We couldn't start planning because we had to save money for her burial."
Traditionally, a quinceañera is celebrated in the Mexican culture when a female turns 15, marking her passage from childhood to adulthood. The quinceañera is both a religious and a social event that emphasizes the importance of the family and society in the life of young people, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica website.
Bustamante will be turning 16 when she celebrates her quinceañera, but after her house went up in flames this week she didn't think she would be celebrating it at all.
The celebration is planned for Saturday, March 21.
Anyone wishing to help the family can contribute to their GoFundMe* account.
*KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
