Help an elderly fire-survivor begin again
Donation protected
Buzz Tatro woke up on his 74th birthday to flames making it up the hill to his home of 54 years in Bonny Doon, California. He barely escaped with his life, the only possession he was able to carry with him as he escaped the flames was a small blue backpack. Buzz not only lost his home that day, he also lost his livelihood- his barn, woodworking workshop, cabinet shop, truck and all of his tools were gone in the blink of an eye. A lifetime of working, and saving so as to be self-sufficient was gone.
Buzz is not new to being called a "survivor". Five years earlier, he survived cancer. He went in for surgery to remove a mass, and woke up unable to speak as doctors made the tough decision to do a tracheotomy in order to give him a chance of surviving.
The CZU fire devastated our Mountain community, and navigating through it in the midst of a pandemic made it all that much more challenging. There are no community town-hall gatherings, no hugs, or moments for the community to come together to check in on one another, where you can really see who is falling through the cracks and who needs more support. Living in the time of zoom meetings and social media feels like a foreign world for people like Buzz who have lived all this time without a TV or internet. Navigating a complete-loss, FEMA denials, and fire-recovery resources in these times without the ability to speak has been unimaginably challenging. I have been on numerous calls where the person said "Mr Tatro needs to call us back to answer some additional questions", or "We tried to call but unfortunately it is past the deadline now and those funds are no longer available". And in these moments where I want to scream from the barriers and inaccessibility, Buzz throws his hands up in the air, and shrugs his shoulders saying... "well, What can you do? "
And he keeps moving on, and keeps showing up for others (driving for another elderly couple and running errands for a friend who's wife is on hospice and chopping wood, and fixing leaks. These mountains are full of people like Buzz who are kind-hearted mountain-folk who are use to being self sufficient and taking care of others. Buzz was a caretaker for an elderly couple for 40+ years (who have since passed away), he managed their property and fixed whatever needed fixing. It is a whole new dynamic for him to be in a place of needing to ask for help- but this is a time where he really needs it.
3 weeks ago, Buzz went into the doctors for a routine MRI and he left with COVID. He got hit really hard, and was taken by ambulance to the hospital 2 weeks ago where he has been in the ICU. Thankfully, his doctors say he is looking like he is going to pull through. Yesterday, his doctor said to me " he is quite a survivor!" and I smiled knowing he has probably heard that a hundred times in this short life, but I know that being this kind of a survivor is a heavy burden to carry on your own, even the best of us would crumble under the weight. Though we are living in a time that has us more isolated than ever, it is important that we don't let our elders and those who have no voice to slip through the cracks.
We are starting this fundraiser for Buzz because we want him to know that there is reason to keep going. We want to remind him that there are angels and neighbors and friends-he-hasn't-met-yet, and kind strangers whom he will never meet that want to help make this journey ahead a little easier. While he is in the hospital we are trying to help take some of the burden off of him- and to see an easier road ahead.
The thing he needs most right now is nourishment and home. He is still technically homeless (staying with an advocate in Boulder Creek while we look for longer term housing for him). We are hoping to help him to either get a trailer/RV or to build a simple tiny-house this year so that he can regain some sense of what he lost... a place to call HOME.
If you aren't able to support financially, but would like to support in another way:
1.) Helping us to get him nourished: Calling places like Gray Bears, Senior Centers to see if they get any donations of Liquid Hope. He was thriving on this liquid-food but his insurance will not the cover cost. While he is immune-compromised and healing from COVID- This is a time where he can use all the nourishment he can get.
2.) Tools. He lost all of his tools and his workshop and so if you or anyone you know is ever giving away extra tools- it would give him back the ability to work and make a livelihood once again.
3.) Help us to find a RV/trailer or to acquire Materials for a tiny-house (material donations accepted if you have left over windows, doors flooring, roofing, lumber, siding you don't need)- perhaps you know someone who just has an RV or trailer sitting collecting dust that would be willing to loan it for a few months?)
We know there are so many pressing needs right now, and how challenging this time has been for so many. No contribution is too small, and I assure you it will be reaching right to the heart of a really special man. This feels like giving him a deep breath of " We've got you".... So that he can just rest and heal and know that tomorrow is going to be just a little bit easier.
Thank you immeasurably for being a part of this brave beautiful mans journey.
Buzz is not new to being called a "survivor". Five years earlier, he survived cancer. He went in for surgery to remove a mass, and woke up unable to speak as doctors made the tough decision to do a tracheotomy in order to give him a chance of surviving.
The CZU fire devastated our Mountain community, and navigating through it in the midst of a pandemic made it all that much more challenging. There are no community town-hall gatherings, no hugs, or moments for the community to come together to check in on one another, where you can really see who is falling through the cracks and who needs more support. Living in the time of zoom meetings and social media feels like a foreign world for people like Buzz who have lived all this time without a TV or internet. Navigating a complete-loss, FEMA denials, and fire-recovery resources in these times without the ability to speak has been unimaginably challenging. I have been on numerous calls where the person said "Mr Tatro needs to call us back to answer some additional questions", or "We tried to call but unfortunately it is past the deadline now and those funds are no longer available". And in these moments where I want to scream from the barriers and inaccessibility, Buzz throws his hands up in the air, and shrugs his shoulders saying... "well, What can you do? "
And he keeps moving on, and keeps showing up for others (driving for another elderly couple and running errands for a friend who's wife is on hospice and chopping wood, and fixing leaks. These mountains are full of people like Buzz who are kind-hearted mountain-folk who are use to being self sufficient and taking care of others. Buzz was a caretaker for an elderly couple for 40+ years (who have since passed away), he managed their property and fixed whatever needed fixing. It is a whole new dynamic for him to be in a place of needing to ask for help- but this is a time where he really needs it.
3 weeks ago, Buzz went into the doctors for a routine MRI and he left with COVID. He got hit really hard, and was taken by ambulance to the hospital 2 weeks ago where he has been in the ICU. Thankfully, his doctors say he is looking like he is going to pull through. Yesterday, his doctor said to me " he is quite a survivor!" and I smiled knowing he has probably heard that a hundred times in this short life, but I know that being this kind of a survivor is a heavy burden to carry on your own, even the best of us would crumble under the weight. Though we are living in a time that has us more isolated than ever, it is important that we don't let our elders and those who have no voice to slip through the cracks.
We are starting this fundraiser for Buzz because we want him to know that there is reason to keep going. We want to remind him that there are angels and neighbors and friends-he-hasn't-met-yet, and kind strangers whom he will never meet that want to help make this journey ahead a little easier. While he is in the hospital we are trying to help take some of the burden off of him- and to see an easier road ahead.
The thing he needs most right now is nourishment and home. He is still technically homeless (staying with an advocate in Boulder Creek while we look for longer term housing for him). We are hoping to help him to either get a trailer/RV or to build a simple tiny-house this year so that he can regain some sense of what he lost... a place to call HOME.
If you aren't able to support financially, but would like to support in another way:
1.) Helping us to get him nourished: Calling places like Gray Bears, Senior Centers to see if they get any donations of Liquid Hope. He was thriving on this liquid-food but his insurance will not the cover cost. While he is immune-compromised and healing from COVID- This is a time where he can use all the nourishment he can get.
2.) Tools. He lost all of his tools and his workshop and so if you or anyone you know is ever giving away extra tools- it would give him back the ability to work and make a livelihood once again.
3.) Help us to find a RV/trailer or to acquire Materials for a tiny-house (material donations accepted if you have left over windows, doors flooring, roofing, lumber, siding you don't need)- perhaps you know someone who just has an RV or trailer sitting collecting dust that would be willing to loan it for a few months?)
We know there are so many pressing needs right now, and how challenging this time has been for so many. No contribution is too small, and I assure you it will be reaching right to the heart of a really special man. This feels like giving him a deep breath of " We've got you".... So that he can just rest and heal and know that tomorrow is going to be just a little bit easier.
Thank you immeasurably for being a part of this brave beautiful mans journey.
Organizer and beneficiary
Rebekah Uccellini
Organizer
Boulder Creek, CA
Everett Tatro
Beneficiary