Everything Lost in House Fire- Help David, Danielle &Savanna

A Devastating Loss, A Call for Community

On May 14th, 2025, our dear friends David DeStaebler, Danielle Holland, and their beloved dog Savanna, experienced the unimaginable. Within minutes, a freak accident caused a fire that consumed their home and everything inside it. David and Savanna barely escaped. David risked his life crawling through the flames to pull Savanna to safety. Danielle was at work at the time. Within minutes, the cabin that they had made their home for the last 12 years was entirely gone.

The fire was sparked by a rare combination of circumstances, intense sunlight, and high winds. A glass bottle sitting on their front porch ignited the whole house within seconds.. literally the unimaginable.

If you know David, you know he’s the first to help others, whether it’s checking in on neighbors, shoveling snow, lending a hand with repairs, or helping injured animals. He’s a lifelong carpenter & avid outdoorsman.

Danielle volunteers at the local co-op and is a familiar, warm presence in town. She’s deeply connected to community, nature, and the people around her.

Together, they’ve lived simply, close to the land, and deeply connected to nature and their community in Valdez and Taos, NM. Savanna, their dog and constant companion, is their baby.

Along with their home, David and Danielle lost a lifetime of meaningful belongings, including:

-David’s complete collection of hand & power tools carefully gathered over 42 years and essential to his livelihood

-High-end outdoor gear and camping equipment, skis, kayaks, and backpacks

-Sentimental treasures: irreplaceable family photos, mementos, books, rugs, and heirloom textiles

-Furniture, clothing, and Danielle’s cherished book collection, and apothecary built over decades

Unfortunately, they did not have renter’s insurance. And now, they must rebuild their entire lives from the ground up.

What They Need

David, Danielle, and Savanna are currently staying with kind neighbors in Valdez, NM, up the street from their burned home, but only until the end of June. Our fundraising goal of $50,000 is a starting point, a way to help them recover a portion of what was lost and begin to rebuild their life. They need immediate support for: basic essentials- clothing, food, toiletries; temporary and long-term housing, tools to restart David’s entire carpentry business, a used pickup truck to replace their truck lost in the fire.

If you're not in a position to give financially, there are other meaningful ways to help, with donations of:

How You Can Help

This is one of those moments where community means everything. David and Danielle have always shown up for others- now it’s our turn to show up for them.

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and love.

-Friends of David, Danielle & Savanna