ASU booster donates late wife's clothes to help California wildfire victims
PHOENIX - Donations are flowing into Los Angeles to help the victims of the wildfires, and every little bit counts.
An ASU booster is getting involved, too, and is hoping his efforts will inspire others.
As the Fred Rogers quote goes, in scary times, "look for the helpers." One of those helpers hoping to reach those in need in California is Rudy Burgoz.
The ASU alum and booster knows how good it feels when people rally around you in a time of need.
He lost his beloved wife Kathryn in November and the Sun Devils football team was quick to support him in a special moment after practice one day.
Now, he wants to rally around others suffering from loss after the Los Angeles County fires.
"You see all that devastation, and you know that people lost pretty much everything. They interviewed a person and asked him what he had, did he have anything left. He said, 'All I've got is what I'm wearing.' And it just hit me. How many other people are like that?" Burgoz said.
He's eager to help donate to those in need and knows exactly what to give.
"I've been thinking about what to do with my wife's clothes since she passed, and I thought, you know, she would like this. She would like for me to give her clothes to a worthy cause," Burgoz said.
As people and organizations figure out how best to help those in California, Burgoz is hoping there are others like him who can donate from Arizona.
"I think there's gotta be someone that could coordinate this and maybe send a bunch of clothes besides what I have to offer," he said. "Hopefully this will kind of mushroom and get the ball rolling."
If you'd like to contact Burgoz to help with donations, you can email him at devilrudy@gmail.com.
Team up with FOX and the American Red Cross to help wildfire victims
The devastating fires in California are still ravaging the Los Angeles County hillside and leaving hundreds of thousands without homes, clothes and cherished items that will never be recovered.
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California fires latest: 16 dead, 16 missing; strong winds returning
Wildfires burned for a sixth day Sunday in Los Angeles County as stronger Santa Ana winds returned. At least 16 people have died and 16 others are missing.
Latest on the wildfires in California
One of several wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area continued to spread over the weekend, expanding evacuation orders and destroying homes.
The Palisades Fire is one of several massive blazes still burning throughout Los Angeles County, including the Eaton Fire in the Altadena and Pasadena area, the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills area and the Hurst Fire near Sylmar.
At least 16 people have died in the fires, but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods.
Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing. Sixteen people were reported missing so far.