A former Fresno State student and her siblings are reeling from loss after her parents died — her mother falling victim to homicide along with her mother’s boyfriend and her father ending his own life after.

Mai Ker Vue, also known as Emkay, graduated from Fresno State in the spring of 2016 with a degree in psychology and a minor in general business. She was the first to graduate from college in her family.

“My siblings and I are deeply affected by the unexpected and sudden death of both of my parents,” Vue said.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office reported on Dec. 11 that Tom, Vue’s father, staged a murder-suicide with her mother, Linda and her boyfriend, whose name is not yet released. Though it appeared like Linda and her boyfriend were involved in a murder suicide, deputies who discovered Tom’s body later determined he had made it look that way before committing suicide.

Emkay and her siblings have been affected in many ways due to the loss of their parents, she said. She added that her siblings are young adults who are working towards their degrees and looking to become professionals. She also has a brother who is an active military serviceman.

Both Vue and her sister plan to pursue graduate studies once they pay off their student loans. That is why, she said, she and her siblings don’t have reliable income.

“My parents were great financial contributors and they were the people [who] we turned to in times of financial and emotional hardships,” Vue said.

The family plans to hold two traditional Hmong burials for her parents. Each burial takes about two weeks to prepare and the service lasts for three days, Vue said.

“The costs with these two funerals combined exceeds what we can provide out of pocket,” she said. “At this time we are not demanding for (anyone), but we are humbly seeking for help from friends, family members and the community if they can.”

The Vue family has set up two ways the community can donate — through a GoFundMe page and a YouCaring page.

To donate via PayPal, you can send a donation to [email protected].

“The financial hardship is temporary,” Vue said. “But, the emotional impact that it has had on us will last forever.”