Help our friend, John Lian

This is our friend, John. You know him. He's the often times ridiculous, sassy, fiercely competitive itch in your foot that you can't scratch away. But more than that - he's the every time thoughtful, generous, erudite scientist who will always lend an ear and a helping hand whenever someone is in need.

On August 23rd, around 3 am, John walked out of his room and found his living room ablaze - the walls were on fire, the hallways were flooded with smoke, and the fire alarm was screeching. His first response was not to save himself or his possessions, but to try to save the other tenants in the building. He ran towards his roommates' rooms and then ran down the back stairwell to wake up his 2nd floor neighbors, yelling and pounding on everyone's doors.

Fortunately, every one of the twelve tenants at 95 Columbia St. made it out safely. John himself is also safe, suffering only a sore throat from the smoke inhalation.

It's unknown how the fire started or where it started, but what is known is that the fire traveled to their apartment and completely destroyed it.  Most of their possessions cannot be salvaged.  Many of John's most cherished belongings were in the house. Some can never be replaced - pictures, charms, a family ring from his deceased grandfather, letters and mementos from friends and family he's collected over the years.

Right now, John is still trying to make sense of his loss. He has not asked any of his friends for help, but many people have asked what they can do. He does not carry renter's insurance, so rebuilding his life is going to be a formidable task. On behalf of his friends, we are establishing this page for any friends who would like to show their support. In-kind gifts are also appreciated, but it will be weeks before John finds a stable living arrangement to rebuild his life. Every little bit helps, but please do not feel pressure to donate.  If you do choose to donate, feel free to write him a message about how you would like to see him use your donation (e.g., a new bike helmet, 40 pairs of socks, John's beauty regime).

Please feel free to express your condolences to him, but also note that John is extremely sleep deprived and trying to process the events of today himself. The best way to show your verbal and emotional support to him is through an email or online message (here, for instance!) that he can respond to at a pace that works for him.