Aid Paul and Scott's Recovery from the Eaton Fire

Hi, I’m Jessica and I live in Texas. This GoFundMe is to support my incredible uncles, Paul and Scott, who lost their home in the Eaton Fire.

Paul Billings and Scott Smith have lived in Altadena for over 35 years. Recently, their home insurance was canceled due to fire risk. Then, on January 8th, the unthinkable happened. The Eaton Fire took their home and all of their belongings.

They lived in Scott’s family home. Scott designed a number of additions, the garage, and built them alongside his parents. They hand dug the swimming pool they loved to share on hot summer days with friends and their friend’s kids and grandkids.

Paul and Scott’s home contained three generations of family treasures along with over 1,000 of Scott’s mother’s paintings. Pictures above is one of her paintings of Scott as a child. Her work and the work of other artists is all gone, along with everything else.

After being together for many years, Paul, an architect and Scott, a graphic designer & typographer, worked on a few home projects together. They had so much fun that they’ve continued to repair and restore people’s homes for the last 15-20 years.

They can fix just about anything. They take pains to be resourceful, reuse materials, and treat client homes as they would their own. Their clients often become friends. They share holidays, birthdays, and meals.

When one client turned friend, Glendar, cooks; she calls up Paul and Scott to swing by for plates. She shares her love of food with the men she relies on to help with her home. It’s all love. When Paul and Scott first evacuated, they hunkered down at Glendar’s. When they all saw the fire jump down the hillside heading right toward them, they swiftly evacuated. Both homes burned to the ground.

There’s so many stories to tell, but suffice to say that Paul and Scott live how many of us wish we did, using their hands to help others. Building relationships that last lifetimes.

Paul and Scott have survived their own share of losses, including Scott’s stage four colon cancer he kicked to the curb in 2022. In fact, after nearly 40 years, the two finally officially married so Paul could visit Scott in the hospital. It was delightful to see the twinkle in their eyes as these men of a certain age joked about being newlyweds.

Paul and Scott live and breathe love, care, and community. They give generously and effortlessly to others. Now, they need our help.

Let’s show Paul and Scott that while their home, and so many others they’ve worked on are gone, who they are, and how they’ve lived has survived. That we’re here to lift them up in their time of need.

Your donation, in any amount, will help Paul and Scott put their life back together.

And I know they’ll be out there as soon as they can helping to repair and rebuild their community with careful hands and huge hearts.

Paul and Scott are barely on social media, so whether you can afford to give or not, you can helping by spreading the word far and wide so Paul and Scott can get the support they need.

With gratitude,

Jessica