Help Save Marc Hansen's Land

For those folks who might not know Marc Hansen, he was a rock star! He and life long friend David Raitt were the front men of The Hansen & Raitt Band, a rock and roll-blues-funk band well known in Mendocino County and beyond. But there was one thing that he was even better at than rockin' out, and that was being an amazing father. I would like to introduce myself to those of you who do not know me, but if you knew Marc Hansen then most certainly you would already know of me. My name is Karissa, Marc Hansen is my pops, and I am trying to raise money to save his land.....my land.

As many of you might know already, my dad Marc Hansen died in a car accident with his sister, my aunt, Elise Hansen, about an hour from my home on their way to visit me here in Oregon on Valentines Day in 2012. It wasn't an unfamiliar trip, for he drove that road at least 5 times per year to visit me, my husband and our four kids. There was the black ice on the road and it caused my dad to lose control of his car and into oncoming traffic. That road is treacherous and takes at least one life every year. I never thought in a million lifetimes that something like this would become part of my life story.

This was devastating for me and my family and honestly has been the hardest thing that I have had to go through. But even harder and more unexpected was when the other party involved in the accident filed a claim against my father's estate for $275,000 for physical (a shattered knee and broken wrist) and emotional damages. Through much negotiating I was able to get the amount down to $160,000 - $50,000 of which is to be paid out by my dad's car insurance - Leaving his "estate" to provide the remaining $110,000.

Now my dad was a man that prided himself on living by simple means. He didn't have much in the way of "assets" that could satisfy the demands of the lawsuit. What he did have though was his land. A little eight acre slice of paradise along Mill Creek outside of Ukiah, California. He always told me, "all you really need in order to live on this earth is a little piece of land" and I have known the importance of that land sine the time I could begin to know things. Basically through the way of things, I was forced to put the property up for sale. I've been fighting this now for three years.

As hard as this has all been though, I had accepted the facts as they were and came to terms with selling the property. It was originally listed at $250,000 and due to forces beyond my control it now sits at $190,000 and it is still not selling. Unfortunately the house is so old that there isn't even any recorded information on when it was built. My dad was unable too keep up on the maintenance and it fell into disrepair around him. Due to this condition of the house, potential buyers are being faced with financing issues and so there my home still sits.

I'm starting to panic now because time runs out in May. May is when the case will be put on the court's calender for the judge to determine the outcome. Both of my lawyers have impressed upon me the importance of avoiding that forced sale scenario because I will lose and I will most certainly get nothing out of it.

This is a devastating reality for me. I always knew that the place would be there for me when the time was right, I mean my pops always told me that I am an "indigenous species to the canyon".......I was born in that house. I always felt connected with it.....I was even baptized in the creek. In racking my brain trying to figure out how to not lose out entirely on the land my dad made sure to be able to leave me, my thoughts went to this: "It would only take 1000 people to donate $100 each and that would save it". The more I got to thinking about it, the more convinced I am that there are enough people out there who would support this cause.

So this is where I am at now, I am asking anyone who knew Marc Hansen, or any one else for that matter, for a little help to save my dad's land. Anything would help and there are no words to express my gratitude to those of you who do donate to this cause. With your donation I will send you a copy of Marc Hansen's studio album which he recorded in L.A. in the 1980's: "Rock N' Roll Is After You" on which lifelong friend Bonnie Raitt sings background vocals.

Thank you for your support