Eaton Fire Aid for John, Elena, and Luca

Our dear friends Elena, John, and their three-year-old son, Luca, lost their home in Altadena on 1/8/25 due to the swiftly spreading Eaton Fire. Evacuating quickly to safety, they have lost personal items, keepsakes, everything in the home that they had so beautifully created for Luca.

John and I grew up going to each other's houses in Virginia; his home was my second home. Moving to Los Angeles together in 2004, it was a dream come true that our new West Coast homes could become each other's second homes to our now growing families.

After moving to Altadena in 2020 John and Elena had been working to build their home into a space where people could gather. If someone needed a place to stay, they opened their doors. It might be a family member visiting for a short or extended stay, or a friend who needed a back house for quarantine times. Their home became your home. They loved having friends and family over, and their backyard was a common space for birthday celebrations, fantasy football drafts, holiday gatherings and general laughter and fun.

Like many in their community, their lives have been turned upside down by this unimaginable tragedy. The loss of their 'things' is nothing compared to the loss of sentimental memories the items and their home represented. They will need assistance while starting from scratch and although it feels impossible, it's more possible when you can take some of the financial burden off. From temporary housing to basic needs, the road ahead will be long, but we can help them take it one step at a time. We want to show up for John, Elena and Luca how they would show up for any of us.

We know a lot of you have been impacted, but if you are able, please consider donating to this family - our family - as they try to rebuild their lives.

With love and gratitude,

Clay Tweel