A 7-year-old girl who lost her hometo a deadly California wildfireis doing all she can to helpother kids going through the same ordeal, according to reports.
“Very quickly she realized their things were gone,” Sophia’s mom, April Novotny, told KABC of her daughter. “The day that we lost the house, she said, ‘Let’s get some toys for the other kids who have lost their house.’ ”
So, that’s what the little girl did. On Sunday, Sophia held the “Sophia’s Wishes” toy drive in Thousand Oaks, where people donated gifts. The toys were given to children who lost their own in the fire, KABC reported.
“I just want to help other kids ’cause I know how it feels to lost [sic] your things,” Sophia told KABC. The drive was a success, with a local business, RadNet, helping to make Sophia’s wish come true. Santa Claus even made a surprise appearance for the smiling children.
April opened up about her daughter’s good deed on Facebook, thanking everyone for supporting Sophia.
Sophia’s act of kindness comes as the Woolsey Fire — burning across more than 96,000 acres — was 96 percent contained on Monday. Three people have died as a result of the fire and hundreds have lost their homes in the blaze. Another fire that burned in the area, the Hill Fire, was completely contained on Friday.
The worst of the fires, the Camp Fire, continued to burn in northern California on Tuesday after devastating the city of Paradise. The fire, now the deadliest blaze in the state’s history, has caused at least 79 deaths, and nearly 700 people remain missing,Butte County officials announced on Monday.
“We’re finding remains in various states,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said,according to theSacramento Bee. “I suspect there are some that will have been completely consumed.”
Many gathered for a vigil at First Christian Church in Chico — the town where some Paradise residents have taken refuge since the blaze, according to CBS. They prayed, presented photos of lost friends and family, and sought help from counselors and mental health experts. A sign at the vigil read: “We will rise from the ashes #paradisestrong #buttecountystrong.”
To help victims of the California wildfires, visit theLos Angeles Fire Department Foundation, theCalifornia Fire Foundationand theAmerican Red Cross, for more information.
source: people.com
