Support John and Judy After Eaton Fire in Altadena

My parents, John and Judy Wipf, evacuated their Altadena home late Tuesday night due to the fast-spreading Eaton fire. The power had been out for many hours and their phones had low battery, so they weren't able to take anything with them. We are so thankful that they evacuated when they did because we think their house had already caught fire by the time we all woke up Wednesday morning.

We do not have many details about the level of destruction of their home, as it is hard to verify information while Altadena is still very dangerous to enter, but based on the devastation we have seen to many other friends' homes who were not as close to the foothills, we are not holding a lot of hope that much will be salvageable.

We are taking things day-by-day. John and Judy are staying with their youngest daughter Jamie and her family in an Airbnb in Alhambra. We're thankful that they are all together and able to rest. Jamie and her family have also been evacuated from their home in Monrovia, but so far the fire has not spread to that area.

As a family, we will be navigating a lot of logistics because of this huge loss, as well as mourning the loss of the house and property that were so special to us and all of our family belongings, furniture, and mementos of our childhood, etc. that meant a lot to our family.

We are privileged to have an amazing support network of people who have reached out asking how they can help. We are far from the only family navigating this situation right now, and we have many close family-friends who have lost their homes as well.

Right now, living costs will be high, and my parents have close to nothing. Expenses will be high for awhile. We are fortunate to have savings and are hopeful that insurance will help cover a lot, although that will undoubtedly take awhile to sort out.

If friends and family reading this would like to help John and Judy (and Jamie and family), money raised through this platform will go toward immediate emergency expenses such as clothes, glasses, lodging, and food. Any additional funds raised here that my family does not use will be shared directly with other family friends of ours who have also lost their homes, and many more who are still waiting for news.

We are mourning my parents house and property, but also my and Jamie's elementary school, the small businesses in downtown Altadena, the homes of friends where Jana and Jamie had sleepovers growing up, and so many more places in our hometown that are so dear to us.

Written by Jana Wipf, John and Judy's eldest daughter