A Quiet Gift in the Ash Zone
The Mookie Betts Foundation steps in to support one Altadena family
Angi Franklin and her family lost their home in the Eaton Fire. Since January, they’ve been navigating what too many others have faced. Smoke-damaged belongings. Displacement. Systems that stall out when people need them most.
This week, the Mookie Betts Foundation stepped in. No spotlight. Just support.
They provided furniture, essentials, and some relief to help Angi and her family begin again.
CBS Los Angeles covered the story. It’s worth watching. Not because generosity is rare, but because stories like this often go unnoticed.
“You just never think it’s going to happen to you,” Angi said.
“But I’m grateful for the help. I’m grateful somebody saw us.”
This is what care looks like when institutions fall short.
A foundation. A couch. A woman rebuilding from ash.
It’s also important to name what often goes unsaid. High-profile stories like this tend to center one family, usually someone media-friendly or publicly visible. Often it is a Black family, offered help as a symbol of community uplift. But there are dozens of other families still out of luck. Elders. Renters. Immigrants. People who didn’t have a camera crew or a foundation show up.
We can celebrate Angi’s support without ignoring the fact that many others have received nothing.
This is a beautiful moment.
It is not enough.