Rebuild Hope for Kevin Souza and His Family

Hey guys, my name is Josh Menchaca I live in Simi Valley and I work in the Woodland Hills Best Buy location as an LG expert. If you have ever shopped for a TV at our store, theres a good chance we may have crossed paths. Im writing and creating this gofundme not for me, but for a really good friend and almost decade coworker of mine Kevin Souza. Kevin is a Home Theater and Audio Specialist rep and I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kevin for almost a decade now. Kevin lives in Pasadena with his wife Lane, and his two sons, Chris (19) and Ethan (15). Him and his wife bought their first home together in Pasadena in June 2000 from a Pacific Sales customer of his that was also a realtor. Kevin has worked in the consumer electronics industry as a salesman since November of 1986 and still works today with Home Entertainment and is heavily involved in the training of employees at retail stores like Best Buy etc, all over the greater Los Angeles Area. Kevin has devoted his entire professional career to the sales industry, working for Radio Lab in Glendale from 1986 to 1999, Pacific Sales in the Woodland hills and Chatsworth locations from 1999 to 2016, and now as an Home Theater and AV specialist from June 2016 to now.

As you know with the Eaton fire and Palisades fire, almost 10,000 homes (and counting) have been destroyed. Kevins home of almost 25 years happens to be one of the many destroyed in the Eaton fire. Kevin also lost two of his vehicles, along with all of his and his family’s possessions. In fact, the week of the fire Kevin was at CES, a consumer electronics event working the showroom educating all the attendees about the latest products scheduled for release in 2025. Kevin texted me yesterday January 8th and informed me the fire had unfortunately taken his home and his vehicles and all possessions inside. Kevin has nothing besides the clothes he brought to Las Vegas for work, which wasn't much. Kevin left CES abruptly and went to go attend to his family, currently he is staying with his mother in laws at her home with his wife and two sons.

I decided to create this gofundme for Kevin and his family because out of all the people i have met over the years through sales, Kevin has been someone i could count on to help no matter what. If i ever needed anything, whether it be simple questions about Home audio or a certain tv model, to life advice or family, and all of everything and anything in between, Kevin is someone i can get the best and most logical and moral advice from. I think Kevins story really is the true story of the honest hardworking salesman, not a salesman who wanted to just make money, but one who truly wanted to help you. I can guarantee you Kevin is not the type of man or the type of salesman that was ever trying to just make a dollar off you, and i think every single one of his clients he has had over the decades of his career would tell you the exact same. Kevin is absolutely one of the most humble people i have ever met, and I think his story is really the story of the hard working American man that just wanted to work hard to support his family. It pains me to write all of this, especially to write it about someone who can do everything right, by always being a good person and and a true honest salesman, and still be one of those people to just have everything ripped away in a moments notice.

Angelinos stick together, and this man whether he knew it or not, has helped me across my journey of life as a young man in my early twenties up until now on how to be a great salesman. I have seen with my own eyes over the years the character and honesty Kevin possesses while being on the sales floor.

We dont know exactly what is next for Kevin or his family but any help any of you can provide is more than appreciated.

I say this from me directly, Josh the guy writing this, that any dollar amount that is being sent through here is being sent to not just a great salesman but a great human being.

And to Kevin, im sorry this happened to you buddy, but I know with time you will come out of this stronger than before.

Thank you everyone who has or potentially will donate to Kevin and his family.

Any money raised here is directly going to Kevin and his family for if possible, replacement of their possessions such as appliances etc, and hopefully God willing the rebuilding of his and his family’s Pasadena home.

Kevin has always been willing to help anyone. Even creating this gofundme him and his wife were a little uncomfortable receiving money from people and to me that speaks to him and his family’s humbleness and character. I think with Kevin, hes more sad about the community in his neighborhood that he lost, where his children got to grow up and make friends in. Kevin and his family would be the last people to ask for help, and that is exactly why i went and created this gofundme for him.

God bless Los Angeles and all the people affected from this tragic loss. Stick together Angelinos, we will all be okay and come out stronger from this, together.