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My friend and colleague Jeff Sochko was up in Greenville, S.C., about four and a half hours from home, working on a job on March 20, 2017, when he received a call that his house in Fort Mill, S.C., was on fire. Unsure how bad it was as he headed home, he hoped for the best. Jeff arrived to find that not only was the house destroyed, but that many irreplaceable momentos were gone, too. Luckily, his neighbors who noticed and called in the accidental fire also had the presence of mind to get his dogs out safely.
Photos, tour jackets, T-shirts and more from a career in the lighting business, photographer and crew member on epic shows, including Prince’s Purple Rain tour, were gone. Also lost were a slew of other collectibles.
But that’s not why he needs this campaign.
Some of those things can never be replaced. So far, it appears insurance should cover the cost of rebuilding the house, although at least some furnishings and such will have to be paid for out of pocket. The real need, however, is due to loss of equipment. Camera bodies, lenses, lighting equipment, electronics – you name it – are gone. Most of that will NOT be covered by insurance, meaning Jeff will have come up with the money to again acquire the tools of his trade.
Even worse, the fire impacts his ability to make a living with the equipment he had with him in Greenville. It’s time consuming to navigate the insurance process and and start re-building a home. For an independent contractor who needs to be available whenever a client calls, there’s no getting around the fact that business will be lost. So, this campaign is aimed at helping to tide Jeff over as he recovers from this disaster.
For those who don’t know Jeff or know him well, you should know that he has volunteered his time and energy over countless hours to help others, including people in Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina. He has donated his time and expertise to many local causes like the cancer organization drumSTRONG and I can guarantee you he never passed a stranger – human or animal - in need without stopping to offer help.
Now it is Jeff who needs help. No donation is too small. Thank you
for taking the time to read his story.
Photos, tour jackets, T-shirts and more from a career in the lighting business, photographer and crew member on epic shows, including Prince’s Purple Rain tour, were gone. Also lost were a slew of other collectibles.
But that’s not why he needs this campaign.
Some of those things can never be replaced. So far, it appears insurance should cover the cost of rebuilding the house, although at least some furnishings and such will have to be paid for out of pocket. The real need, however, is due to loss of equipment. Camera bodies, lenses, lighting equipment, electronics – you name it – are gone. Most of that will NOT be covered by insurance, meaning Jeff will have come up with the money to again acquire the tools of his trade.
Even worse, the fire impacts his ability to make a living with the equipment he had with him in Greenville. It’s time consuming to navigate the insurance process and and start re-building a home. For an independent contractor who needs to be available whenever a client calls, there’s no getting around the fact that business will be lost. So, this campaign is aimed at helping to tide Jeff over as he recovers from this disaster.
For those who don’t know Jeff or know him well, you should know that he has volunteered his time and energy over countless hours to help others, including people in Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina. He has donated his time and expertise to many local causes like the cancer organization drumSTRONG and I can guarantee you he never passed a stranger – human or animal - in need without stopping to offer help.
Now it is Jeff who needs help. No donation is too small. Thank you
for taking the time to read his story.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jeffrey Sochko
Beneficiary