Roberto & Francesca build back from Marshall Fire

On December 30th, 2021 Roberto Bianco and Francesca Giongo lost their home of 24 years in the devastating Marshall Fire. Their house was in Louisville just south of Harper Lake.

When the evacuation orders came in, they collected just a few belongings, with anticipation and hope that their house was far enough away from the origin of the fire and would escape harm. But as the evening wore on, swirling embers pushed by unusually strong winds took their home and the neighboring homes as well.

 

They plan on rebuilding in this town that they love! Roberto has an academic tutoring business in Louisville, Tutorandia, helping students navigate their STEM classes and college assessment tests. Francesca is an Environmental Educator with the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, a nature writer, and an avid birdwatcher.  She has spent her life caring for wildlife, the outdoors, and helping others to appreciate nature through her work as an educator and interpreter.

 

They both enjoy the outdoors, cooking delicious Italian food at home, spending time in their community, and traveling. While many of their mementos – like Roberto's 2000 Ironman Lake Placid finisher plaque and Francesca’s Steamboat Half Marathon photos – are irreplaceable, Roberto and Francesca's friends hope to help them to replace some of the things they lost – basic needs like clothes, furnishings, as well as the things that add joy to life, like a favorite fishing rod, scuba gear, snowshoes to explore Rocky Mountain National Park, etc.

 

We are all grateful that Roberto and Francesca are healthy and safe. They appreciate all of the kind words and support they have received from friends and even strangers. Louisville and Superior will build back, and Roberto and Francesca look forward to being again part of the community emerging from this fire!

Here are before and after pictures of their home:


 
Here's where their house once stood (map from the Denver Post) and where they will rebuild:



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Note: This page was set up by Michele Shimomura on behalf of Roberto and Francesca. I've known them since Roberto and I were both on CU Boulder's Triathlon Team back in the late 1990s! All of the Go Fund Me donations will go directly to them and will help them in rebuilding.