Help me to Recover from Eaton Fire Loss

my Instagram: @martinafatala

I took the picture above, from the hotel where I was staying the night of the fire.

My name is Martina and I am an Argentine Au Pair living in the US.

I was working in Altadena with the kindest and most loving family. Unfortunately, on January 7, the Eaton fire destroyed the house in which we lived and, with it, everything we had.

For those who are not familiar with the Au Pair program, it allows people from abroad to come to the US as internal nannies. The goal is to improve our English, travel, and experience life in the United States for a year.

As an Au Pair, we bring our personal belongings to start this adventure. We also receive a stipend, which allows us to buy things for daily life here.

On the day of the fire, I was almost alone in the house without a car. I had planned to stay overnight, but something made me ask my host family to book me a cheap hotel because the power had gone out and I felt uncomfortable staying there. Minutes later, I saw the fire starting from the entrance. At first, the fire was small, but with winds of 100m/h, it spread quickly. At that moment, I was too scared to even register anything.

Unfortunately, I lost many irreplaceable objects, including sentimental treasures such as a photo of my late grandmother (my only physical copy, since I did not have a digital version) and a flag made by my loved ones in Argentina, full of their signatures, when I left to undertake this trip. Also all the memories I collected here this year. These memories meant a lot to me.

In addition, I lost valuable things like my MacBook, suitcases that I had bought for my return, clothes that I had bought just two months ago (which were supposed to last me the rest of the year), and my shoes.

The insurance process has been taking much longer than expected and I am not sure if I will receive any compensation before returning to Argentina soon. Even there, I don't know how long it will take or if I'll be able to receive it while I'm back home.

I’m not asking for much. Just a simple donation will make a big difference and will help me to get back on my feet again. Thank you very much for your support during this incredibly difficult time.

With gratitude,

Martina.