Former MLB outfielder and current Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler is one of thousands affected by the raging wildfires that have ravaged both ends of California this month. Over the weekend, Kapler's home in Malibu was incinerated by the blaze.
Kapler, 43, found out on Saturday, when a friend texted him to share the bad news. Along with condolences, the friend shared pictures of the property that once held the home that Kapler moved to after his playing days were over, and kept even after taking the managerial job in Philadelphia. Kapler spoke about the experience with Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
The photos sent to Kapler revealed almost no trace of the house -- only a steel staircase that stood through the blaze, but now led to nothing. Other than that, just charred ground and burnt rubble.
Luckily, Kapler's family -- his ex-wife and two sons, who lived in the house -- had time to evacuate before the Woolsey fire jumped the 101 Freeway and spread to his neighborhood. They're fine, Kapler said, but he knows that many others weren't quite as lucky, and he wants others to keep raising awareness of how many people are currently in need due to the disaster.
Many have lost everything in these fires, and even basic needs are going to be hard to meet. https://t.co/6wbdbClneI
— gabe kapler (@gabekapler) November 11, 2018
Here's a portion of what Kapler said to The Athletic:
In the last 48 hours, friends from across baseball have contacted Kapler. How can I help? What can I do? Please let me know. And Kapler wanted to make something clear. "Look, we're going to be fine," he said. "Our family is going to be fine. The love and support is incredible." He had something larger in mind as the fires all over California continue to rage.
"Keep talking about it," Kapler said in a phone conversation Monday morning as he drove to Citizens Bank Park for work. "When you're out in your community, talk about it with other people. Use it as a way to come together. I sent this text message back to people: Talk about it. Shine light on it. Raise awareness. Feel it.
"That's my main point for other people. We're good. Our family is good. There are a lot of other families who are not...We have a responsibility in these times to shed light on the people who are in really, really dire straits," Kapler said. "And there are plenty of them."
And he's right. According to the New York Times, the California fires have torched more than 225,000 acres of land and killed at least 44 people as of Monday night, with hundreds more people unaccounted for. Hundreds of thousands have been evacuated because of the fires, and the damage continues to rise.
If you're interested in helping the relief efforts for those affected, here's a useful place to start.
