Help Carlos recover from fire
Carlos' van caught fire after 21K miles, 28 months and 15 countries travelled. The van burned to the ground. He lost everything, including his laptop, his drivers' license, hearing aid, glasses, $800 in cash and his home for these last 28 months which he had sold all his belongings to buy. He got away from the fire with his cellphone, the clothes on his back, his passport, and his visa.
We realize it's impossible to replace Carlos' VW bus, but perhaps we can get him enough money to purchase a cheap van so that he can reach Alaska, a trip that he had dreamed of since he was a kid. We think we can buy a reliable van with $3000 and use $1000 to refit it with a small kitchen, bed, and the necessary things to make such a journey. (Carlos can do carpentry work, so we can buy wood and refit the van).
Also, if someone has a cheap van they could donate, that would be great and we'd probably need much less money.
He's 68 years old, and he has spent his life helping others. He served 36 years at the 1st company of firefighters in Asuncion (an all-voluntary firefighters organization). When I was a kid, he spent time taking care of me, despite not having to.
We hope to raise enough money to send him on his way by May 15th.
On April 6th, while Carlos was driving north on RM 2291 near Junction, Texas, the engine in his VW bus caught fire. He quickly stopped and pulled out his fire extinguisher, but after spraying its entire content, the flames in the engine hadn't been put out. He ran to a nearby car to borrow a fire extinguisher, but the driver didn't have one. By then the flames had increased and he realized that he had to get what he could out of the van. He opened the front door, but was overwhelmed by smoke and there was already fire in the inside of the van. He managed to recover some documents (like his visa and his passport fortunately), but couldn't retrieve anything else.
He left Asuncion 2 years ago and after reaching Ushuaia in the tip of South America, headed north for Alaska making many friends a long the way and overcoming countless problems.
When I finally saw him after the incident I asked him "now what? Are you going back to Paraguay?" He said "No, I'll reach Alaska hitchhiking if I have to."
He's too old to be hitchhiking and sleeping in a tent, so anything that can be spared would be greatly appreciated.
See:
https://www.tripline.net/trip/Un_Paraguayo_rodando_el_mundo-4514410567021013B0A4EF94863CA814
https://www.facebook.com/unparaguayorodandoelmundo/
https://youtu.be/npjDqQJtxiA
https://www.facebook.com/chaupapau/videos/344653359381197/
