Tommy, Brenda & Ali’s - Los Angeles Fire

Hello Everyone,

From the deepest part of our hearts, Tommy, Ali, and I offer our eternal gratitude for your support, kind messages, and love.

Like so many people, on January 8, 2025, our sweet Altadena house was lost in the fire that demolished an entire community. Ali and I watched years of hard work, sacrifice, and love succumb to fire. While we are devastated at the loss of our beloved home, we are very cognizant of our blessings.

In 2024, we relocated to Covina to care for my aging mom after my dad passed. We rented our house, always planning to return home. Although leaving the life we knew was painful, in many ways we now understand it was a blessing.

We purchased our home in 2013, a few months before we got married. We celebrated life and mourned losses in that house. The joy of my existence was the little everyday things we did as a family. I loved watching my dad's amaryllis bloom in the spring, washing dishes while Ali and Tommy played in the backyard, listening to Harley Bear swing in and out of the doggy door, doing laundry Friday nights while Ali was at band practice, waving down the ice cream truck for Tommy. Most of all, I loved coming home to my very own little place in the world.

Ali and his dad poured their sweat and tears into making it a home for us. We were truly happy there, and I will hold on to those memories for the rest of my life. Our little family of 3 lived a picturesque life in that community for 11 years. I NEVER took one day there for granted. The life we created there remains the greatest achievement of my life.

We will recover one day at a time.

As we navigate this monumental process, we've come to the harsh realization that we, like so many Californians, are underinsured. So many of you have reached out to offer help--we thank you for that.

Ali and I have set up this GoFundMe upon reaching the acceptance that we cannot do this alone; thank you for reminding us that we don't have to. We've been advised that we do not qualify for FEMA home repair aid because we were not occupying the house at the time of the disaster. But we still plan on moving forward as best we can as soon as we can.

There are so many people in need at this time. Please know that any assistance you offer anyone, not necessarily us, has a huge impact.

In a time of so many unknowns and doubts, this I know for sure...the universe remembers. Any love that I have ever given during my life has always come back to me amplified. This is my hope for you: may the love and support you are offering so many be returned to you tenfold.

God bless you and keep you safe.