RAYTOWN, Mo. — The family of a Raytown woman who died on Friday from injuries suffered in a fire is sifting through what’s left, trying to come to terms with what happened. As the Raytown Fire Department raced to the scene Thursday night, neighbors desperately tried to save 64-year-old Noreen Bigley, but the fire was just too hot.

Her daughter Shannon Gieri says emergency workers did CPR for 17 minutes and brought her mother back, but after some time on life-support it became clear to her family that it was time to take her off of life-support.

“My mom was my best friend, and just the fact that she went like this, it kills me, it just kills me, I just hate it so bad,” said Gieri as she stood in the spot where the fire started.

Gieri says after a lifetime of smoking, her mom was on oxygen, in the final stages of lung disease and fully blames her mother’s death on cigarettes.

“People just need to quit smoking,” said Gieri.

Bigley’s last cigarette was smoked in her bed near her oxygen machine, causing an explosion that Gieri says sparked the fire that killed her. Gieri says her mother was addicted to cigarettes, and while the addiction took a toll on Bigley’s body, it never killed her spirit.

“She always had a smile. She was always positive. My mother was awesome, she was awesome, best mother ever,” said Gieri through her tears.

The day of the fire, Gieri and her mother had an argument because her mom wanted a cigarette.

“There’s a lot of regret, there’s a ton of it because she argued with me and I gave in, and I gave it to her,” Gieri said.

After the argument, Gieri made a quick trip to the store. The next thing she knew, the house was on fire, her mother trapped inside.

Somehow Bigley made it from her bedroom to near the front door before she collapsed. Firefighters were able to rescue her, says Gieri.

“I know she was terrified and that’s something that kills me, that she was so scared just trying to get out and no one was here to save her. I wasn’t here,” she said.

At the hospital, after some time on life-support, it became clear to the family, Bigley was not going to make it and her children were with her when she died.

“I stood there and held her hand and had my hand on her heart the entire time, I just, it’s an experience that I hope I never have to go through again,” described Gieri.

Among the guilt and regret Gieri carries, she says the kindness of neighbors and firefighters who tried to save her mom is one of the things that holds her up.

“My heart is just so big for that, they tried so hard and I just, god, I so appreciate that”, she said.

Gieri also thanks her bosses and co-workers at Electrical Corporation of America for the support they have given her throughout this tragedy.

Along with her mother, the family’s two cats and two dogs also died in the fire.

The family has set up a fund that will benefit the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and the KC Pet Project. Click here for more information.