Hayden Hudson sold Bob and Charlene Orsi their home at 135 Granite Way when they moved to the Redland area from Las Vegas in 2006.
Hudson got to know Charley Orsi still better when Hudson moved into Stonegate subdivision off Dozier Road herself.
“We became best friends because we were neighbors,” said Hudson, a real estate agent with Builder New Homes Inc. “She had her triplets and then I ended up having twin boys in 2010. So she had four girls and I have four boys.
“(Charley) was supermom. She lived for those four girls. She could bake, she could sew. She was incredible.”
On Saturday, a nightmare took place in the home Hudson sold the Orsis. Authorities say Robert Orsi shot and killed his wife and one of his 12-year-old triplet daughters, left his other two daughters with multiple gunshot wounds, set fire to the house and then either died in the fire or turned the gun on himself.
In the wake of the tragedy, a grief-stricken Hudson is now working to see that the surviving Orsi girls have what they need after their home was destroyed by fire.
“We took Adrianna shopping on Sunday and she got some things she needed, some things she wanted,” Hudson said. “We want them both to be able to pick out their own clothes.”
As a result, Hudson is leading a drive to collect gift cards to be used by the girls to replace the clothes lost in the Saturday night fire.
Hudson said that those interested in donating a gift card to help the girls buy clothes or school supplies could bring them by or mail them to Builder New Homes, 240 Peace Church Road in Wetumpka. The zip code is 36093.
Hudson said that Redland Elementary School requested that she and others working to help the two surviving Orsi girls assist them in making sure the girls have needed school supplies for the coming year.
Hudson is also looking to find a house for Charlene Orsi’s parents, Al and Veronica Aurelio, in the Redland area.
“They were in the process of moving here,” Hudson said of the Aurelios. “They were going to build a house in the subdivision next door (The Village at Stonegate). Now, that’s not feasible, but we’re going to find them a house in the Redland area.
“Those girls have lost so much and they don’t want to lose their friends and where they grew up.”
There are others in the community who are looking to help the Orsi girls, as well.
• The Redland Parent Teacher Organization is accepting donations for the Orsis. They will accept cash or checks which will be deposited in a local bank. Checks should be made payable to Orsi Fund. Donations may be mailed or dropped off at the Redland Elementary School Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. They are also accepting both gift cards and clothes. Both Patricia and Katherine Orsi – the two surviving triplets – wear size 4 shoes , 7/8 in tops or blouses and size 10 pants/shorts. Adrianna wears an adult medium top.
• The Redland PTO is also ordering bracelets that read “#REDLANDSTRONG.” They are seeking a minimum $2 donation for each of the bracelets with all the proceeds going to the Orsi family. The bracelets will be available to be picked up between 9 a.m. and noon on July 16-18.
• A GoFundMe site for the family has been set up at www.gofundme.com/8ryq5-loving-the-
orsis by Annette Smallwood, Charlene Orsi’s stepsister. “The money raised will be given to Charlene’s parents, Veronica and Al Aurelio, who will make sure the girls have what they need to rebuild and heal from this horrible tragedy,” according to the site.
