Help Ryan Rebuild after Devastating Fire

On Wednesday January 26 our co-worker Ryan woke up to searing heat and found his apartment in flames. Thankfully he was able to escape, but he suffered painful burns and has lost his home and all of his belongings. Ryan is understandably traumatized and in shock. The costs of finding temporary and replacement accommodation and replacing his possessions will be immense, and like many young renters, Ryan did not have insurance. Ryan is such a positive, caring, and empathetic person that he would be the first to help if this happened to someone he knew. Now it's our turn - please donate to help Ryan start the long process of rebuilding his life.

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Ryan is 25 years old and loves his work as a veterinary clinic receptionist. He is devoted to helping pets in need, and treats everyone he interacts with with compassion and positivity. But on Wednesday morning, instead of waking up to go to work, he woke to the heat and crackle of flames and the sound of his fire alarm.

The fire was already blazing at this point, so he quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and tried to exit his apartment, but could not get the door open immediately. While trying to escape he badly burned his fingers and palms, while flames licked at his back, causing second degree burns over 70% of its surface. A neighbour gave Ryan a sweater and a pair of socks, which is the only protection he had from the snow and -21 degree cold outside. He also has burns to his face, and his long hair was burnt badly enough that his coworkers had to help him shave his head.

Ryan was taken to St. Joe's Hospital, where sadly he was misgendered on arrival. Media reports about the fire at his Lakeshore & 8th St apartment building have added to his trauma, because many have mistakenly reported that nobody was in the unit that was engulfed by flames, when the reality is that he could have easily lost his life in the fire. Instead, media attention has focused entirely on the story of a mother in a different unit who had to break a window and hand her baby to a friend outside when she encountered smoke in her hallway.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, and the fire department is investigating, but the cause is thought to have been electrical. Ryan has not yet received any support from his landlord, and is currently staying in an air b&b provided by one of his coworkers. We are doing everything we can to help him get back on his feet, but he has lost his wallet, identification, personal belongings...everything. Ryan will have a long journey to recover both physically and mentally, and your support would be sincerely appreciated.