My grandfather, Kenneth Daniel Kupfner, or “Danny” as his friends call him, lost his home and all his belongings on December 30th in the Marshall Fire that devastated Superior, Colorado and the surrounding communities. Dan lived in Old Town Superior in his family’s home that was built in 1932. He was born in that house in 1938 and has lived there since.

Dan adored his home and his town. He could usually be found sitting in front of his house on the corner of 4th Ave and Coal Creek Drive, saying hello to anyone passing by and striking up conversations with anyone who wanted to sit and chat. He is an incredibly kind, loving person and would loan his tools or anything else to anyone in need. He was active in the Superior Historical Society, contributed to the local Museum, and was the go-to person if you needed to know anything about the history of the community. The devastation of his life and his hometown has been heartbreaking.

As the evacuations started, Dan’s incredible neighbor turned her family’s car around to make sure they secured him in their car before leaving. We are so thankful that he made it to safety, with nothing but the clothes he was wearing. Dan lost everything he owned in the fire and will need to completely rebuild his life like many other community members. He is no stranger to hardship and tragedy after living through several life-altering events, including breaking his neck in 2009 after falling off a roof. He is keeping good spirits and intends to persevere through these new challenges.

Dan and our family would greatly appreciate any assistance with offsetting his costs during this difficult time. Funds will be used for expenses including housing costs, new furniture and other basic household items, heat and phone bills, health and dental expenses, food and meal costs, toiletries, etc. We want to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has reached out to provide support. We wish everyone a safe and good new year and send our best to everyone affected by the fires.