BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Candiace Tucker is a mother in pain.

On Wednesday, Candiace's sons, 4-year-old Marcus Nevaeh Tucker and 1-year-old Micah Emmanuel, drowned in the pool of a home on the 5500 block of Dustin Street.

The loss has been hard on the entire family.

"I know that my babies are in heaven," said the boys' grandmother, Cynthia Norris.

Candiace's sister Michele Criddle said she's trying to be strong for her sister and family.

"I want to cry," said Criddle, "but I don't know when I'm going to."

To help with the financial and emotional struggle of her sister's loss, Criddle organized a barbecue fundraiser at Patriots Park on Saturday.

The family needs to raise $3,000 by Thursday for the funeral.

"She's a mother, and she's lost something, and we can't get it back," Criddle said about her sister, "but it's always good to have a hug and say, 'It's OK.'"

Among the smiles, laughter and food at the event, the boys aren't far from the family's thoughts.

"He played and played," Norris said about Marcus.

Criddle added the barbecue was also to honor Marcus' birthday.

"He turned 4 on March 1, so we're going to keep his birthday party rolling until the end of March or until we're ready to give up," she said.

As horrible as the accident was, it's had the one benefit of bringing the family together.

And, it's that support that will carry Candiace through the pain.

"It's going to be hard for a long time," she said. "A very very very long time."

Donations to help with funeral expenses can be made to Kern Schools Federal Credit Union under the Tucker Funeral Expense Fund.

A wake for the boys will be held on Thursday at Basham Funeral Care. The funeral will be on Friday, but the location hasn't been determined, yet. It will be open to the public.