Help Art & Linda Rebuild Their Lives After the Eaton Fire

To our loved ones, family, community, and networks:

Hi, my name is Maya Montes De Oca, and I’m raising funds for my grandparents, Linda and Art Montes De Oca. On January 8th, the devastating Eaton Fire destroyed their Altadena home of over 40 years and their photography studio, another Altadena property where they managed their business. They escaped with only the clothes on their backs and their car, losing everything, including personal belongings, family heirlooms, and the photography equipment necessary to continue their business of decades.

For more than 40 years, Art has donated his time and services to local charities and non-profit organizations, like the Girl Scouts of America and the Lincoln Training Center, in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley areas. Linda and Art have been pillars of the Altadena and Los Angeles communities for decades, capturing cherished memories for countless families and businesses through their photography business. While their community can hold onto those photos and keepsakes, my grandparents now have none—losing their cameras, hard drives, and backups of their life’s work.

Linda and Art are no strangers to tragedy and rebuilding. Even with the loss of their son Aaron, my father, to cancer in 2008, Linda and Art have always persevered and given back to their community. They organized bone marrow drives for my dad, and even though we were unable to find the match that would save his life, the collected bone marrow was able to save others. Now, they need our help to restart.

When I ask them how they are doing, they say that they are okay because they escaped with their lives. They say that while devastated, they lost things, not people. But many of these things are irreplaceable – including so many memories of my father, and the photography tools and technology, required for their livelihood.

Even though they are grateful to be alive, the loss of their home and everything but their car and the clothes on their back is staggering beyond belief. None of this is easy, and I don’t think anyone should have to pretend normalcy in circumstances like these.

Funds will go toward helping my grandparents rebuild their lives for a second time. Thank you for supporting two loving, hardworking people who have touched so many lives.

With heartfelt thanks,

Maya