A seven-year-old boy penned a heartbreaking letter to Father Christmas asking him for bricks to rebuild his fire-ravaged home.
Only a few walls were left standing when the blaze ripped through little Gonzalo’s house after a gas blast.
Luckily, no one was hurt, but the schoolboy and his family could only look on in horror as their belongings were turned to ashes.
The lad then melted hearts by penning a note to Santa asking him for help to rebuild his home.
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The handwritten note reads: “Dear Father Christmas.
“I want to ask you for bricks to build my house. I love you very much.”
His mum Gabriela told local media: “He came to me, just like that, as if nothing happened.
“And said ‘Mum, I came up with an idea. I’m going to ask Father Christmas to bring me the bricks. That way, we can build the house faster.’
“I choked back tears because I didn’t want to cry in front of him.”
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Mother-of-five Gabriela added: “We always try to be strong and not show any emotions.”
Gonzalo’s plea did the rounds in his home city of Luján, near Buenos Aires, and quickly reached all of Argentina.
One of those who read the letter was a teacher at a school in the capital, who recounted it to her pupils.
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One girl told local media: “We have a subject called ‘Creativity, Activity, and Service’ that revolves around coming up with social projects to help.
“At this point in the year, we don’t take on any more due to time constraints, but when we saw what had happened to them, we didn’t hesitate to help.”
She and her classmates started a raffle in a bid to raise funds for the stricken family.
She recalled: “Days went by, and we realised it was impossible to reach the required amount through this method.”
In light of this, the schoolgirl and her pals took to social media to spread the word.
Incredibly, thanks to their efforts and people’s generosity, they managed to raise more than ARS 6 million (£13,000), as well as clothes and toys.
One donor even gifted all the bricks needed to turn the pile of debris left behind by the explosion into a new home for the family.
Gonzalo’s wish may now be fulfilled in time for Christmas, as his new house is now under construction.
The girl said: “I was deeply moved by the situation, that a child would ask Father Christmas for bricks when we’d ask for toys at that age.”
Argentina is currently suffering annual inflation above 140 per cent, with two fifths of Argentines living in poverty.
She said: “Even in challenging times like the one we’re living in, we still come together to help those most in need.”
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