CALIFORNIA – Life in Altadena, California, was never easy—but it was home. For Brian, that meant smiles on familiar faces, the echoes of his mother’s encouragement, and the tools of his trade as a local business owner and track coach. Fires in Los Angeles had threatened the mountains before, but they had never reached his doorstep.“I saw embers fly down the driveway,” Brian remembers. “I turned and looked at my son sleeping on the bed and I said, we’re out of here.”
As the wildfire consumed everything in its path, Brian fled— hoping, praying, that somehow his home and livelihood would be spared. But when he returned, all he found was ash. His home, his plumbing tools, and the specialized track coaching equipment he used to mentor young athletes—gone. “You still have your memories,” he said. “But there are some things you never get back.” Brian’s story could have ended in despair. But thanks to compassionate partners like you, Operation Blessing was there to meet him at the moment of greatest need.
Recovery After Fires in Los Angeles
Operation Blessing’s president, Gordon Robertson, stood beside Brian in the rubble and shared how your support made it possible to replace every essential tool he needed to get back to work after fires in Los Angeles. From basic plumbing equipment to a high-tech running timer for coaching—so much of what Brian had lost was being restored. “It’s a true blessing,” Brian said. “It’s overwhelming.”
Rebuilding after fires in Los Angeles doesn’t just happen with tools and materials—it happens with heart. “The people want to rebuild,” Brian said. “We want to be ‘[Alta]Dena’ Strong. One big community. One family.” Because of you, Brian’s tomorrow is looking brighter. He can work again. He can coach again. He can lead again.
