I can't seem to lay my hands on our fellow TV collector Tom Ryan's eMail address or current phone number... (His username here on AK is Tom Ryan.) I know he lives up in the rural hills East of San Diego, and that area is under siege as of yesterday. Whole neighborhoods are burning down, so I hope that he's OK and that his collection is safe.

If any mutual collector friends here have heard from him, or know anything, please post!

Another TV collector Gary (not an AK member, but a very good friend to many of us) also lives in one of the fire areas, but knowing his house very well, I see that the fire is still a safe distance from it as of this time.

Charles

Update from TV collector Gary in SoCal:

I received an eMail from him this morning, saying that he is still under mandatory evacuation, and is unsure how his house is. Evidently, the fire got much more dangerous than it was last time I heard, and it indeed came close enough to menace his house. He was able to snatch one rare TV and a prized vintage car, but he had to leave everything else. For privacy reasons, I left off his last name, and I don't want to say more than that. However, please keep him (and Tom Ryan, and any other collectors and friends who may be in this disaster,) in your thoughts and prayers. Anyone who wishes to say something to Gary is welcome to eMail it to me at [email protected] and I will forward it to him.

Jordan (JPDylon) lives in one of the San Diego County areas, but I think he's in a more metropolitan area (not in the hills)... Have we heard from him on how he is doing?

I'll update ASAP.

Charles

The fire came within about 5 miles of me monday night. However they seem to have the San Miguel fire under control for the most part so it does not seem to be a threat at the moment. Hopefully that will not change.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Tom and Gary.

The fire came within about 5 miles of me monday night. However they seem to have the San Miguel fire under control for the most part so it does not seem to be a threat at the moment. Hopefully that will not change.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Tom and Gary.

Good to hear that you're OK... Thanks for letting us know. Stay safe!

Charles

We're FINALLY getting some desperately-needed rain in NE Tenn...But I'd gladly send it your way if I could.

heres a prayer for my namesake TR and all else threatened by this natural disaster.....

Folks, we're all doing fine now. We came very close to evacuating. Especially some very nervous moments Monday night. A difficult time for family and friends. To compound the problem, air quality was horrible earlier this week. A fallout of ash and soot is everywhere outside the house - glad it didn't get inside! Fortuneately the winds relaxed and reversed enough for the threat to subside. The collection and family have survived unscathed, but wiser from the experience. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers ...all seem to have worked!

Tom,

Very relieved that you didn't get harmed!

I'm hoping the same for Gary, but it came very close. I saw a TV reporter on his street, showing the flames right at the edge across the street, about 1000 feet west of his place. Fortunately, that was the same time that the wind died down, and they were going to try to keep the fire from crossing that road. I never heard that it crossed, so I think things look good for Gary's place. He still doesn't know as of yesterday, but I hope to hear something today or tomorrow. (The branch of fire that was menacing his place hasn't been active since Wednesday, so I hope they let him home soon.)

Charles

Glad to hear you guys are ok! This is horrible!! My heart goes out to anyone that is in the middle of this crisis!!!!

HAPPY UPDATE: I heard Saturday morning from a mutual friend who spoke with Gary... Gary was able to have a friend's son; a California Highway patrolman, drive by to verify that the house IS STANDING :) . Most of all this was a HUGE relief to Gary, and secondly a relief to friends and all of the TV collecting community.

He should be allowed to go home some time soon. On his behalf, thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers!!!!

Charles

Glad everything is working out for you guys. I was in Las Vegas all this week, and the smoke was thick over the mountains to the southwest. You could even smell it.

Very scary.