CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Twenty-four-year-old Luis Ocampo did not get the homecoming he imagined after serving for days along the North Carolina coast as an Army National Guardsman.
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While he was away helping those impacted by Hurricane Florence, he said his home back in Charlotte was robbed.
Friends and family started a GoFundMe page for Ocampo and his family with a goal of $5,000.
In one day, they were able to raise nearly $15,000, thanks to donations from nearly 400 people.
The person who started the page posted this statement Saturday.
"Your generosity and willingness to help a soldier in need is simply amazing. We are so grateful for these donations beyond belief."
Spc. Ocampo shares the home with his girlfriend, Kailey Finch, and their 1-year-old son.
Finch told Channel 9 Friday that she was shocked when she learned about the break-in.
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“I don’t know how people can be so terrible," she said.
She and her son were away when the burglars broke in Thursday night.
The family believes the suspects snuck in through a back window and ransacked the place.
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“If I was (to) do that to someone, I feel like I would feel really bad afterwards. I would be like, I see this family struggling and I just messed up their life even worse," said Finch.
According to officials, the thieves took a gun, a large TV, a gaming system, a laptop Ocampo uses for schoolwork and even some specialty coins and jewelry.
“It's irreplaceable. It's not something you can get back," said Finch.
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Beyond the valuables, Finch said her heart also breaks for her hardworking guardsman.
"He does a lot for everybody. He always wants to make sure that everybody gets help," she said.
The family told Channel 9 that they are considering an alarm system for their home and have started a GoFundMe to recover from the robbery.
Police do not have any suspects at this point.
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