Leah Lost Everything in the Fire

As many of you know, our daughter, Leah, and granddaughter, Ella, recently faced an unimaginable tragedy due to wildfires that devastated Altadena. On January 7th, at about 6:40 p.m., Leah sent us a text saying there was a fire in Eaton Canyon, east of their bungalow. She wasn't too concerned but did worry about losing power and wind damage. Wind gusts were at record speeds. At about 7:00, Leah sent a photo of various fire locations in the area. We all started telling her to "Get Out!" She didn't want to leave, as the wind was wild and roads littered with tree branches and trash. At about 8:15, Andrew (Ella's dad) came over with his cat. Leah said most of her friends were evacuating. Joe and I watched news coverage of another fire near the coast (the Palisade fire) and heard testimonies of how quickly the fire had overtaken so many people. By 9:30, Leah, Ella, Andrew, and three cats had packed the car and were on their way to our house. They expected to be back in their homes in a day or two, so they brought only two clothing changes.

Thankfully, Leah, Ella, and their cats are safe, but they lost everything in the fire—memories, belongings, and the stability they had worked so hard to build.

In the wake of this disaster, Leah and Ella are starting from scratch and still need significant resources to help them on their journey to recovery. The good news is they have signed a lease on a new house! Now, the rebuilding starts! There is a long way to go. Any donation, no matter the amount, would be greatly appreciated and will go directly toward easing the burden they face as they rebuild their lives.

If you’ve already given, or are unable to donate, we would greatly appreciate it if you shared this campaign with others or offered support in other ways. Your generosity will provide much-needed hope and strength during this difficult time.