Urgent Support for Menelik After Altadena Wildfire Loss

First and foremost, my heart goes out to all who are suffering loss from this devastating fire. My heart goes out to all those affected.

My son, Menelik Jackson, is a hardworking 28-year-old Los Angeles native, who moved to Altadena in 2019 to take care of his 83-year-old grandmother. She lived alone in her home, and he stepped up to be her full-time caregiver, helping with everything from being her driver and maintaining the house and property, to repairing and upgrading the home itself. He took pride in ensuring his grandmother was safe and comfortable, even paying for utilities like water and electricity which weren’t on when he first moved in, providing groceries and cooking for the two of them. Over time, he made the house a home again, fixing floors, repairing the pool, and keeping the property in good shape.

Entry way to the home before the fire.

Entryway after the fire.

But the recent Altadena fire changed everything. In the blink of an eye, the home, and everything my son had worked so hard to build, was gone. He lost all of his belongings: his car, clothes, shoes, eyeglasses, personal keepsakes, and even the tools he relied on for his livelihood as an IT consultant, computer repair technician, software developer, and cybersecurity professional. Most devastatingly, he also lost his beloved cat TooToo, in the fire.

Menelik was always working with a smile.

Menelik and TooToo.

Today, his grandmother is being cared for by family, but my son has no place to call home. He’s moving between family and friends, doing his best to stay positive despite the uncertainty. The truth is, this tragedy has left him in a position where he’s starting over entirely on his own.

The house and car after the fire.

Menelik in front of the pool after giving swimming lessons to neighborhood children

The pool full of ash and soot.

I’ve started this GoFundMe to help him recover from this catastrophic loss. The funds raised will go toward essential supplies like food, clothes, shoes, eyeglasses, relocating, and other important items, but ultimately to help him rebuild and return to work. My son is an incredibly strong and independent person, but this time, he needs help to get back on his feet, more help than I can provide for this level of loss.

View from his room, of the driveway and school below the house prior to the fire.

The school below, which ignited the house.

My son, staring at the rubble of what once was home.

The Altadena fire took everything he had, but with your support, we can help him begin to rebuild his life. Any contribution—big or small—will make a difference in giving him a fresh start after this unimaginable loss. Thank you for taking the time to read his story, and for any support you can offer during this difficult time.

Thank you,

Keisha Forsythe - Jackson