Lost Home & Contents in LNU Fire, Cancer, Covid
Donation protected
From Kiri Eschelle, Homeowner affected by the LNU Lightning fires in Napa, CA:
It is with great sadness that I share my house on Rimrock Rd. in Napa/Berryessa Highlands is no more as of 8/20/20.
It burned to the ground along with all my furnishings, personal effects and my boat in the LNU Lightning Complex fires. There is literally, nothing left. So many others lost their homes as well. It's utter destruction in the Berryessa Highlands for so many, as of today I have tracked 85 homes lost and the list is growing. I’m compiling owner and tenant info in an effort to assist in getting critical information and support to others who have lost homes and been displaced. It’s all I can think of to do.
On a personal level, I fear I will not make it through this devastating event without some help, so I’m asking. This really is the “straw” so to speak. What I haven’t shared publicly until now, is that I have been battling cancer for the last 2 years. Two weeks before Covid really hit the fan I learned it has progressed to Metastatic Stage 4. Between August of 2018 and now, I’ve had 16 rounds of chemo, 35 rounds of radiation and 2 major, invasive surgeries. I’m being treated with pharmaceutical chemo now and will need to stay on it as long as it keeps “working”. I have a small group of friends that have been my emotional support through all this and I can’t thank them enough for their love and understanding. And my mom was amazing, but due to Covid she can’t travel here from Alabama to help. I’ve continued to work through all this, but, the last 2 years have caused some serious financial distress.
Cancer + Covid + Fire = What the actual ___!? I know a lot of people might expect a windfall from Insurance and Disaster Relief, but this is not the position I am in. My house, unrealized by me, was grossly under insured to the point that I owe more on it (by a lot) than my insurance coverage. I had planned to sell the house this summer to recover from the last 2 years, but now all I have is a mortgage to pay, on a piece of land that has no value, without the income to support it or rebuild it. I’m “upside down” as they say. I’m not entirely sure what to do, as it’s only been a few days, but I’m trying to make it through this first period without any further catastrophic loss. Any help is sincerely appreciated and will be used to cover lost items and ongoing expenses related to this disaster. And please, do feel free to seek out other Go Fund Me pages for those affected. There most certainly are folks and families who got hit worse than me, who don’t even have a place to live. So yes, it is worse for so many out there, and I am not the only one struggling and grieving over this loss.
Wishing you all health, happiness and good grief, could we all get some PEACE!
With love and kindness, Kiri
It is with great sadness that I share my house on Rimrock Rd. in Napa/Berryessa Highlands is no more as of 8/20/20.
It burned to the ground along with all my furnishings, personal effects and my boat in the LNU Lightning Complex fires. There is literally, nothing left. So many others lost their homes as well. It's utter destruction in the Berryessa Highlands for so many, as of today I have tracked 85 homes lost and the list is growing. I’m compiling owner and tenant info in an effort to assist in getting critical information and support to others who have lost homes and been displaced. It’s all I can think of to do.
On a personal level, I fear I will not make it through this devastating event without some help, so I’m asking. This really is the “straw” so to speak. What I haven’t shared publicly until now, is that I have been battling cancer for the last 2 years. Two weeks before Covid really hit the fan I learned it has progressed to Metastatic Stage 4. Between August of 2018 and now, I’ve had 16 rounds of chemo, 35 rounds of radiation and 2 major, invasive surgeries. I’m being treated with pharmaceutical chemo now and will need to stay on it as long as it keeps “working”. I have a small group of friends that have been my emotional support through all this and I can’t thank them enough for their love and understanding. And my mom was amazing, but due to Covid she can’t travel here from Alabama to help. I’ve continued to work through all this, but, the last 2 years have caused some serious financial distress.
Cancer + Covid + Fire = What the actual ___!? I know a lot of people might expect a windfall from Insurance and Disaster Relief, but this is not the position I am in. My house, unrealized by me, was grossly under insured to the point that I owe more on it (by a lot) than my insurance coverage. I had planned to sell the house this summer to recover from the last 2 years, but now all I have is a mortgage to pay, on a piece of land that has no value, without the income to support it or rebuild it. I’m “upside down” as they say. I’m not entirely sure what to do, as it’s only been a few days, but I’m trying to make it through this first period without any further catastrophic loss. Any help is sincerely appreciated and will be used to cover lost items and ongoing expenses related to this disaster. And please, do feel free to seek out other Go Fund Me pages for those affected. There most certainly are folks and families who got hit worse than me, who don’t even have a place to live. So yes, it is worse for so many out there, and I am not the only one struggling and grieving over this loss.
Wishing you all health, happiness and good grief, could we all get some PEACE!
With love and kindness, Kiri
Organizer
Kiri Eschelle
Organizer
Napa, CA
