Hello everyone,

Reaching out for your support to help my family restart after a great loss in the path of the Eaton Fire. We sadly lost everything.

As some may know by now, the Eaton Fire has consumed most of our beloved little mountain town of Altadena, CA. Over 14,000 acres as of right now. So many people have been deeply and tragically affected. So much loss, displacement and need.

My wife, child and I were unfortunately part of this tragic, natural disaster and are working to get back on our feet like so many others in Southern California, from the Palisades to Pasadena.

My name is Chris Strompolos, my wife is Monica, my child is Kestin. We have lived in Altadena for going on 7 years. I have been in LA for 30.

My wife and I work in Higher Education, we are all creatives, artists and Kestin is in attendance as a senior at the Waldorf High School which was also ravaged and disrupted by the Eaton Fire.

We are a tight, loving, creative family and found a distinct and unique peace, calm and acceptance in a diverse, vibrant, unique community here in Altadena.

With only moments to pack and evacuate, we grabbed ourselves, our two cats, and a few odd, basic things and hopped in our car not really convinced that it would be the last time we would ever see our home, filled with a lifetime of memories and precious things we loved.

With a flat tire, we made our way in a daze into the desert, 85 miles out to Perris CA where we were graciously and generously taken in by my wife's sister and husband, Ted and Barbie. We are safe now and fantastically fortunate. Forever grateful.

In just 24 hours, our entire neighborhood and most of Altadena, our home included, would be consumed by the flames.

Our home brought to ash in hours, we had to wait in limbo before any hard intel arrived.

And then the pictures came in.

We are creating a GoFundMe to humbly ask for your generous support to help us relocate. These funds will also continue to assist with all basic needs. Clothing, home items, taking care of cats and (re)creating a safe and happy place to live.

So many friends and family have already reached out, supported us with generosity, connected and offered words of love, encouragement and positive energy. These gestures have been fundamental in the last few days as we gather our strength to forge ahead and put it all back together.

We are working diligently to put this time of immense loss, pain and sadness behind us.

From myself, Monica, Kestin and our two cats James and Julie, we are grateful for anything you can gift.

Thank you for your love and support and our deepest gratitude to those who have already donated, called, texted, emailed and supported us with love, gifts and messages of strength and positivity.

We could not do this without you.

Our hearts go out to everyone in Los Angeles right now who are suffering and struggling to get back on their feet, find support and stabilize.

In gratitude,

Chris Strompolos