Donate to Mina and Pete and Family's Fire Relief

Hi, My Friends,

Before the fires, we were managing, spending too much beyond our income level due to my need for nursing care and wheelchair transportation to my 3-times-a-week dialysis treatments. My condition was due to a stroke in July 2023, which left me not only unable to walk, but which also killed my kidneys.

We had planned to purchase our own wheelchair-accessible van, but in early July, 2024, on the day Pete planned to look for one, he also had a stroke. For a number of weeks, he couldn't drive, although, luckily he can still walk.

Our daughter Ginn and her partner Robert came to visit us for the Christmas holidays. Two days before the fire, Ginn bought a van with a ramp built into the back entrance. It had been used only to bring it home.

On Tuesday, January 7th, we celebrated Ginn's January 6th birthday with a yummy dinner from Casa Bianca and a custom-made black forest cake. We put more than half of the cake in the frig to save for the next day. The frig was pretty full with the Home Chef meals for the week, which had just been delivered.

By what might ordinarily have been bedtime, the winds outside were ferocious..I later heard that they were ranging from 50 to 90 mph. Our phones were yelling at us with evacuation warnings. However, although we knew there was a fire, I thought that since the fire had started in Eaton Canyon, which was 5 miles away or so, that we were safe. I was wrong.

All of us were still awake when the lights went out. I couldn't do much to help,but we were trying to put together things to take with us in case we had to evacuate. I still thought we had time. And then Ginn went upstairs and saw embers falling into our back yard. By then, the phone messages had changed, saying Get out now.

I was somewhat reclined in my great recliner/lift chair. Unfortunately, the power was out, the chair was stuck in that position, with my feet up. Somehow, with Pete and Robert's help, they were able to get me into my wheelchair and then, outside in the wind and in the dark, up that little ramp and into the van. We had to leave my upwalker ($600 to replace), the hoyer lift ($1000 to replace), and Pete's cell phone and computers (It boggles my mind to even contemplate how much that will cost.) And of course, all our furniture, clothes, bathroom and bedroom linens, and the kitchen appliances.

They went back and got Allen and Kiki, our sweet kitties. Then, with Pete following in my car, Ginn managed to maneuver the way through streets littered with trees and branches, watching yards where flames were consuming tree parts and other debris.

Today it is almost a week later. We are all (me,Pete, Ginn and Robert, plus Allen and Kiki) staying at a hotel in Chino Hills, and Pete drives me back into Pasadena for dialysis treatments three times a week. I try to concentrate on what has to be done to move forward and not on the fact that we have lost 50 years of memories...photographs, documents, a place to live, money, my lovely Christmas tree, the beautiful wreath on the door that I made, and so much more.

Insurance will cover some things, but right neither Pete nor I have any clothes other than what we were wearing when we were evacuated, we have nothing to cook with, not to mention the food and medical supplies that had just been purchased before the fire. It will cost many $$$$ up front to get our lives back to some semblance of normal.

I mentioned a couple of specific needs above (upwalker, $600, hoyer lift, $1000. Another is an electric wheelchair, $3000. I'll try to get Pete to add some specific items when he gets back from taking Ginn to the dentist.)

Several of you have asked how you can help. One way is to contribute to this GoFundMe account if you can. If you choose to do so, I thank you.