Disabled Veteran Home Fire

My name is David. The picture above is from a video posted on social media of my father's home burning two days ago. Thankfully my dad was not at home when this happened. A friend had given him a ride to a grocery store since he can't drive but he returned home to this scene. All of his life, his clothing, his memories, his originally composed songs, mine and my sister's baby pictures - everything he had - completely destroyed by the flames.

He had home insurance but it lapsed a few months ago and his finances were so tight that he wasn't able to renew the policy. It was a perfect storm of chaos and in the end he was left standing there watching helplessly as the smoke subsided. 70 years of experiences, memories, dreams, plans... all gone.

I don't know how to write this thing. I don't know the words to say to get through to you what this all means for my father and how desperate his situation is. I live on the other side of the country and my wife and I have been on the phone for the past two days with different local and federal government offices trying to find out what is available to help him. Thanks to the Red Cross and a local church, my dad has a motel room to sleep in for a couple of weeks and was able to pick up a few necessities (razor, soap, a few changes of clothing, etc.) while we try to find a path forward for him.

My dad is 71 in a few months. He served our country honorably in Viet Nam with the U.S. Navy as a radio operator and came home after the war to work various jobs in the auto industry in Detroit. Now he survives off of his Veterans benefits and Social Security. He has no savings and no credit for any loans. In short, no financial options to rebuild his life.

The website had me set a fundraising goal and said to choose a reasonable amount. What is reasonable? How much to rebuild a life? All I know is that he needs enough money to start over. A down payment on an apartment, new furniture, clothing, pots and pans and other kitchen utensils. All of those things that you need to live in a home that most people don't ever think about because they're just there.

I don't really know what else to say here. I'm hoping people will see this and feel moved to reach out and help. My father has faced many challenges in his life and I pray that with the help of kind people, we can get him though this one.

Thank you.