Flames continue to ravage the state of California, claiming at least 40 lives and destroying countless homes in the process. An incalculable number of people have been displaced; all of their earthly belongings destroyed in the blaze.
For one young Oakland Athletics fan, the loss of his A’s gear is what he misses the most.
Saddened by the loss of his collection, he decided to pen (pencil) a letter to the organization. He doesn’t ask for anything in return in the letter, but after reading the heartbreaking account, the A’s would be remiss to let it go without a response.
Young @Athletics fan pens heartbreaking letter to team after losing all of his baseball memorabilia in the #NorthBayFires #abc7now pic.twitter.com/5dNDt5PLkY
— Katie Utehs (@KatieUtehs) October 15, 2017
Find a transcription of the letter below:
To the Oakland A’s,
I love watching your A’s games. I want to be an A’s player, and I play at Mark West Little League in Santa Rosa. I played baseball in my backyard all day loving the A’s and making up my own game. In my backyard, they won six World Series in a row. But my house burned down in the Santa Rosa fire, and my saddest things were my baseball collection cards, my 17 jerseys and 10 hats and my baseball from the game and also a ball signed by the whole team and Rickey (Henderson) and Bob Melvin. I am 9 years old and I had a major league baseball and it all burned up, so sad. I know you’re not all together but hope they get this.
Baseball is the ultimate game for kids. The National Pastime continues to provide a safe, inspired way for kids to learn life lessons, develop a healthy sense of competitiveness and dream for something big.
For Loren Jade Smith, his dream is to play for the Oakland Athletics.
The letter has resulted in an outpouring of support from baseball fans around the country who want to send him their Oakland A’s memorabilia. After word started to spread, the A’s president Dave Kaval reached out and offered to replace anything that the boy lost in the fire.
No doubt. So touching. We are reaching out to family so we can replace their collection. https://t.co/Gwk48heAyR
— Dave Kaval (@DaveKaval) October 15, 2017
After all of this, he’ll end up with more A’s stuff than he knows what to do with.
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