The California wildfires have left entire communities completely decimated. The news of the lives lost and images of charred rubble where family homes once stood are devastating. When a story of hope and love emerges from the ashes, it captures our attention. This is one of those stories.
Santa Rosa was hit hard by the fires.
via: Getty
Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to dust with only chimneys still standing. This kind of loss is especially difficult for children to process, when their home vanishes in an instant — with it goes their sense of place, self, and safety. While everyone grapples with having to let go of their most beloved, irreplaceable objects, one child's loss has turned into a story of humanity and community.This is 9-year-old Loren Smith, Oakland A's super fan, doing his best impersonation of a baseball announcer.
9 yr old Loren Smith gives us his best @Athletics announcer call, young fan penned letter to team after losing memo… https://t.co/ZDCcubQLim— Melanie Woodrow (@Melanie Woodrow)1508117249.0
Katie Utehs is a journalist with a San Francisco ABC News affiliate. She met the Smith family while covering the fire and posted Loren's letter on Twitter.
Young @Athletics fan pens heartbreaking letter to team after losing all of his baseball memorabilia in the… https://t.co/DAKmdrfdBE— Katie Utehs (@Katie Utehs)1508025606.0
His letter reached his beloved Athletics, and the world beyond.
If you'd like to donate baseball memorabilia to our pal Loren, please send items to the address below and we’ll mak… https://t.co/oz31SxOLS6— Oakland A's (@Oakland A's)1508177692.0
People were quick to donate to the cause and restore the boy's collection.
@Athletics I found some cool A's stuff in my collection. This kid reminds me of myself when I was young. I'm going… https://t.co/uYhAKvhh2Q— Mike C (@Mike C)1508205861.0
Loren's collection is going to be restored, and then some.
@Athletics Loren, this unopened box of 1987 @topps baseball cards is headed your way. Glad you are safe! #Rookies… https://t.co/OHgTwDoCpn— GridDragon (@GridDragon)1508211696.0
Loren's letter caught the attention of other MLB teams.
@Athletics Baseball is family. We have your back, Loren. The package is on its way! https://t.co/vALO3tiBlM— Detroit Tigers (@Detroit Tigers)1508188837.0
Teams from across the country are pitching in.
@Athletics 📬 Just dropped all of this in the mail for you, Loren! 👍 https://t.co/fKmcZf6voC— Red Sox (@Red Sox)1508189068.0
These are just a few of the teams that have responded with gifts for Loren.
@Athletics Hopefully there's room on the truck for this stuff for Loren! Give him and his family our best. https://t.co/wmdtOOh02t— Cleveland Indians (@Cleveland Indians)1508252608.0
Good job, humans.
@Athletics This thread reaffirms my faith in humans 💚🇺🇸💛 I tip my cap to all the teams & great people out there!!— SMITTY (@SMITTY)1508200470.0