Mom who lost 3 daughters in California boat fire: 'I was so proud of them'

A mother left devastated by Monday morning's boat fire off the coast of California is speaking out in the wake of her unimaginable loss.

Susana Solano Rosas took to Facebook on Thursday to pen a heartbreaking post after her three daughters, Evan Solano Quitasol, Nicole Storm Quitasol and Angela Rose Quitasol, died when the Conception, a 75-foot commercial vessel owned by Truth Aquatics, went up in flames near Santa Cruz Island around 3:00 a.m. Monday.

In addition to losing her three daughters, Rosas also lost her ex-husband, Michael Storm Quitasol — the father of the three girls — and their stepmom, Fernisa Sison, in the blaze, which claimed the lives of 33 people and left one unaccounted for.

"On Monday we came to Santa Barbara in a rush to be with my daughters," she wrote. "My hopes were that Evan, Nicole, and Angela Rose were only injured. They were such strong swimmers. For sure they would have made it to land. They had only had 20 yards to swim. I was hoping we would be able to hug them and hold them. Instead we don't have them."

"We can't bring them home yet," she continued. "I know our children don't belong to us. As parents, we have plans for their life. They had supassed [sic] my expectations...I was so proud of them and their accomplishments. They each knew it, too. My three girls were very happy with their lives. They each had found their loves, were well established in their communities with the best part of life ahead of them."

Rosas also opened up about her difficulties explaining the tragedy to her 8-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who was not present on the vessel when five of her family members died.

"I wanted to protect her from the information, but according to the grief counselor, this is best," Rosas wrote. "Elizabeth has been so well behaved, (like) a true hero."

Solas ended her post by saying she was thankful for all the "phone calls, texts, kind words, donations," adding that she and her husband "read them all" and view them as a source of great comfort.

"My daughters loved people," she remembered. "They loved helping others have better lives through their service. Weather [sic] it was beach clean ups, teaching (or) healing. They were environmentalist in the sense that they always were looking at how to help the environment. Sometimes it was a little annoying to walk the beach and have my bucket filled with trash instead of sea shells. I enjoyed every minute I spent with them. I was in my glory when all the Q Girls were around."

The Quitasol family used to take a diving trip annually in celebration of their father Michael's birthday, according to his daughter, Christina, who was unable to make this year's excursion, where her sisters, dad and stepmom died, she wrote Wednesday on Facebook.

"Today would have been my father's birthday, he would be turning 63," she wrote. "Every year my family would get together and celebrate his birthday in the most amazing way. We would dive the channel islands. All of us together, the people he loved, on a boat, for one awesome weekend. Every year we looked forward to this trip. It's a passion we all shared, so much that we called ourselves Ohana Scuba."

"Most years my sisters and I would all be in attendance on this trip," she explained. "Some years, like this year, one of us would be unable to join. This year I couldn't make the trip. The majority of my family was on that boat. My beautiful, happy parents and my sisters. They were my first friends. My best friends. We were always known as the Q Girls, I was 2 of 4. Just a bunch of big kids who loved to good off and have fun together. We never grew out of that phase. In an instant, they're all gone."

Christina also thanked everyone who has sent condolences but added she was "not yet ready to take phone calls or texts."

"I appreciate your understanding during this difficult time," she added. "I've found some peace in reading all of the wonderful, beautiful messages everyone has been leaving about my family."

A GoFundMe campaign to benefit the family has already raised over $20,000 of its $55,000 goal.