TUMWATER, Wash. — Investigators continue their search for answers after a house fire in Thurston County resulted in the deaths of two parents and three of their children earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the tight-knit, heartbroken community poured into the stadium at Tumwater High School for a candlelight vigil on Sunday evening.
Friends and family want to remember the Cox family for the good they did and the smiles they inspired.
"They would've given their shirts off their backs to anybody they met no matter what the circumstances were," said Aaron Toman, a friend and former coworker of Steve Cox.
Adults and children gathered by the hundreds to honor the Cox family: father Steven, mother Destiny and their three kids, ages 10, 12, and 13.
One man described the children as "all so unique and equally as amazing because they were raised right and were so full of life."
That fateful morning, one person survived: a teen girl who had slept over and escaped the house before crews arrived to find it engulfed in flames.
That girl's mother read aloud a speech she had written.
"I've shed many tears since the tragedy happened and I can't express the love I have for their whole family," she said.
The teen is now out of the hospital after receiving care for minor smoke inhalation, according to officials. She said the 13-year-old daughter of Steve and Destiny was her best friend.
"That morning may forever haunt me, but I want you to know it won't ruin my wonderful memories," her mom read aloud.
Wonderful memories were the theme of the somber, heartfelt evening.
"They were amazing people, touched everybody they ever met," Toman said.
Toman worked with Steven for years as an electrician.
"I've seen Steven give up lunches and take his entire crews out to eat, ya know, at the end of the weeks just to make sure everybody knew he loved them, loved them all," Toman said. "He felt like he wanted to give back to everybody he could."
Meantime, Destiny's sister, Hayley Bogart, expressed gratitude to the community for their outpouring of support.
"With all of your support, we'll be able to get through this horrific event," Bogart said. "This has affected our entire community and if there's anything we can learn from this tragedy it's to love one another and hug and kiss our babies. We are all in this world together and so let's help one another and love one another and give a helping hand."
The family is survived by their eldest child, a 14-year-old, who was not home at the time of the fire.
Thurston County investigators do not believe the fire was caused by any criminal activity.
Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are collecting evidence to determine what may have started the fire.