My father, Michael Lavoro, was severely affected by the Gatlinburg fires in the Great Smoky Mountains.  The residence and cars were destroyed, and this past Wednesday after exhausting all options, we had all but given up hope that he was still alive. 

I was traveling to the area to see what remained of my hometown and to provide DNA evidence for the authorities to confirm that my father was indeed deceased.  Late Thursday evening, we were notified that detectives had somehow located him, and to our utter disbelief, he was alive.

Our hearts are full of joy, and this experience has been a true testament to our faith and the greatness of God.  Friends, family and so many strangers have poured their hearts into helping locate him while providing support for myself and my family.  Prayers have been answered, and no words can express our gratitude.

Now that we know he is alive, we are facing the aftermath of helping him piece his life back together after losing everything.  We are reaching out to the community asking for donations as we begin to heal and sort through the rubble.  Anything helps.

Thank you for helping us rebuild our family and our lives.  God is good.


**In order to streamline and simply Michael's access to these donations, I will be responsible for withdrawing funds from the campaign so that the money raised can be moved into an account specifically designated for his fire relief efforts.