'To know her was to love her': Family remembers fire victim

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Seham Haj dedicated her life to helping others -- and that's how her family will remember her.

On Jan. 1, Haj was rescued from her home after a fire broke out in her kitchen. Three days later, Haj succumbed to her injuries.

The South Buffalo resident was only 34 years old.

"It's very surreal and it's like living in a nightmare," said Haj's sister, Fayza Griffin. "Who would've thought that two hours after I called her, she's in a fire."

Griffin described Haj as the light in every room she walked into. She said she had an upbeat personality that grabbed the attention of everyone around her.

Haj is leaving behind a 10-year-old daughter, Malyah. Griffin said the mother-daughter duo had a bond like no other.

"She made sure Malyah had everything and more," said Griffin. "That girl was well taken care of."

Griffin says her sister was always giving back in any way she could.

Haj worked at BestSelf as a team leader in the homeless services program. She was given the Unsung Hero Award from the Homeless Alliance of Western New York last month. After learning what happened, her coworkers visited Haj at the hospital to pay respects.

"I told them her shoes are going to be real tough to fill," said Griffin. "They said nobody is going to be able to fill her shoes."

The priority for Griffin now is making sure Haj's daughter is taken care of. Griffin says Malyah is still processing what happened, but she will make sure Malyah always remembers the type of person her mother was.

"We're going to get through it because that's what we do as a family," said Griffin. "She has a family that extends far beyond our bloodline."

Throughout her life, Haj was dedicated to helping others -- and even through death, she is giving back. Haj is an organ donor, and her generosity will now live on in those who receive her gift of life.

"To know her was to love her," said Griffin. "She deserves to be recognized in the best way possible."

A GoFundMe has been organized with all of the donations going towards Malyah and her future. If you'd like to donate, you can do so here.

Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.