Umabot na sa 25 ang nasawi, 30 ang reportedly missing, at libu-libo ang nawalan ng tahanan sa Los Angeles wildfires sa California, USA.
Walang sinanto ang disaster na ito dahil maging ang mga tahanan ng mga sikat na Hollywood actors ay tinupok din.
Nagsimula ang malawakang sunog noong January 7, 2025.
Read: Hollywood celebs affected by Los Angeles wildfires
Pero isang pamilya ang nag-viral dahil kahit inabot ng apoy ang kanilang tahanan, nakaligtas umano ang imahe ng Virgin Mary, gayundin ang imahe ng St. Joseph, sa kanilang yard sa South Pasadena, California.
Maaaring maliit na bagay para sa iba, subalit naging simbolo ito ng pag-asa para sa maraming residenteng apektado.
Read: Bayanihan ng mga Pinoy, buhay na buhay sa Los Angeles wildfire
VIRGIN MARY STATUE THAT SURVIVED THE FIRE
Tinalakay ng U.S. news programs ang kuwento ng nag-survive na Virgin Mary statue sa residence ng mag-asawang Peter at Jackie Halpin.
Masakit man daw para sa kanila na makitang wala na ang kanilang tahanan, may hatid daw na paghihilom ang nag-survive na statue.
“My wife was concerned about going up there coz she didn’t think she could do it, but it was healing for us to get on to our property…” sabi ni Peter sa interview ng Fox News, January 13, 2025.
Pinuntahan ng mag-asawa, kasama ang anim nilang anak, ang kanilang tahanan.
Nakatira rin sa family home ang isa nilang daughter at anak nito, habang ang iba pa nilang anak ay may tirahan sa nearby area na sa kasamaang palad ay tinupok din ng apoy.
Pagpapatuloy ni Peter, “When we got up there and we just stood around and it was remarkable that how everything had gotten fried but the statue of the Virgin Mary, and another statue of St. Joseph were in perfect condition. Obviously, there were a little singed.”
Nang magtipun-tipon sila sa dating kinatatayuan ng bahay, kumanta ang pamilya ng isang song of praise.
Isang kaibigan ang kumuha ng video, na nag-viral sa social media.
Aktibo sa church choir mula pagkabata ang mga anak nina Peter at Jackie kaya maganda ang pagkakakanta nila.
Sabi ni Jackie, “It was a remarkable thing. Our intention was not to producing and go viral at all. It’s pretty much a family thing.
Dagdag ni Peter, “The response from the community has been unbelievable and so heartfelt.
“The love that we’ve gotten from the community is mind-blowing and we hope that Altadena is a beautiful place to live, and our hearts go out to everyone in our community.”
Read: Filipina in U.S. helps stranger, gets PHP5.8 million in return
SUCCESSFUL FUND DRIVE
Isa naman sa mga magkakapatid, si Pete Halpin, ang naglunsad ng fund drive via GoFundMe, ang U.S.-based crowdfunding platform.
Parte ng mensahe ni Pete sa funding drive: “Our parents bought that home over 35 years ago, and it was a center of hospitality, joy, support, and familial love for a wide and deep circle of loved ones over those three decades. As with many others, they lost absolutely everything.”
Nag-set siya ng amount goal na $90,000 o PHP5.2 million, pero lampas na rito ang nalikom.
As of this writing, umabot na sa $135,728 o PHP7.9 million ang donasyon.
Sinegundahan ni Andrew Halpin sa interview ng EWTN ang sinabi ng inang si Jackie na ang pinakamahalaga ay ligtas silang lahat.
“Everyone in our family is safe and alive, and so we’re very grateful for that,” ani Andrew.
“It’s definitely a difficult time for my parents and for my sister and her child who also live with them.”
Hindi na raw bago sa katulad niyang residente ang wildfires, subalit iba raw ang nangyaring wildfire ngayon.
Sabi ni Andrew, “Nothing quite like this. Growing up, a few times you’ll see a blaze in the mountain, or there’s always the California wildfire season that we're pretty accustomed to.
“But something that came through our neighborhood so fast, so intense...
“There’s never been anything like that in my lifetime.
“All that was really that survived was that statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the statue of St. Joseph in another area of the yard.”