Palisades Fire – Help Fraser and Kyla Land on Their Feet

Fraser and Kyla, my dearest friends, have suffered a tremendous loss. They are safe, along with their children (Parker 12, Bodhi 7) and dog (Chip 4) – thankfully – but they are definitely not sound. Their home was suddenly and utterly incinerated. And not just the four walls.

They escaped with the shirts on their backs. Everything else, the socks and the sock drawer, the living room rug and the floor beneath, the swim medals and the swim medal rack, everything from the profound to the prosaic, everything home, is gone. And it gets worse.

The very fabric of life, the schools, the grocery store, the ice cream shop, every single neighbour, swim team, baseball team, friends, friends of friends – gone. Countless relationships, countless connections, all the ties of community – gone.

If you know Fraser and Kyla, you know them to be compassionate, hard working, independent, resilient, and resourceful. This situation is too much, too quickly. It’s a full-on, whole-life re-start. It would test the most resilient among us, who these two are.

It’s heart breaking, but it’s not beyond healing. It’s big, but it’s not immovable. And it’s hard, but it’s certainly not hopeless. Especially if we push together. So, on an extra-loving note of extra-acute hope, this is my call for a big, energetic, extra-collective push.

For Fraser, Kyla, and their kids, this is a time of maximum uncertainly. It’s not clear where they will live. It’s not clear where the kids will go to school. And it’s not clear if and when insurance will cover the loss.

I’ve spoken with Fraser. They’re with loved ones, recovering from the shock. But the crisis is ongoing. There’s a lot of healing to do, and just a ton of recovery.

For us, it’s an opportunity. Every little bit helps an insanely big amount. And we can make a few things absolutely certain – that we care, that they are not alone, and that true community is beyond the reach of wild fire.

If you know Fraser and Kyla, I’m betting you adore them. As they re-launch into the uncertain, join me, for what FEMA won't provide, let’s give them a great big supportive push.

With gratitude,

Ryan Power