Just a little over a month ago, there was a disaster located in California that would be talked about throughout the nation. That is the wildfires that engulfed neighborhoods and homes in the Los Angeles area. For Wabash students who live in a small, rural town in Midwest Indiana, the number of people affected by these fires was few. But this was something that would hit close to home. For former student and current director at the Los Angeles Unified School District Jacob Guthrie ’05 this was an issue that took place right in his backyard.
“On the evening of Tuesday, January 7, I got home from work in the evening,” said Guthrie. “A few minutes later, my neighbor knocked on the door and frantically let us know there was a brush fire in Eaton Canyon. I would later find out that the fire broke out about three miles from my home, in a densely populated residential neighborhood. We began watering the roof, repairing broken rain gutters and collecting debris that was out from the windstorm. I fell asleep later that night, planning to rest before continuing preparations. I woke up around 2 a.m. and immediately noticed a strong odor of smoke in my living room. When I looked outside, I could see that the fire was close and approaching. I grabbed a few photos, work clothes for the rest of the week, two document boxes, and we evacuated. I left work at approximately noon to attempt to go see the house. I had learned that my home was still standing, but the majority of my neighborhood was gone. I drove up to my house engulfed in flames.”
It was an absolute disaster for Guthrie and his family as they had lost their dream home that had been so special to them. But they could not dread it for too long because then they had to figure out where to stay and what to do. In the midst of tackling this difficult situation, there came a moment of hope from a few familiar faces. One of those faces was a fellow former student. When Mark Cross ’05 heard the news he immediately did his best to help.
“JJ’s (Jacob’s) sister-in-law created a GoFundMe for those looking to support the family,” said Cross. “Before that GoFundMe was even created, there was a text thread of Wabash alumni sharing the news and brainstorming on how we could help. I created a LinkedIn post sharing my personal story of how JJ impacted me and immediately the Wabash community responded. Fellow classmates, professors, coaches and their families immediately responded with incredibly large and generous donations but also personal messages of care and support. I began keeping a list of donors from the Wabash community but lost count as after only a few days we had over 20. Together, friends, family and the Wabash family have helped raise more than $80,000 to help them piece their life back together.”
Guthrie and his family had been staying with his parents in their home nearby. It would have been easy to feel defeated during all of this, but the support he has gotten from all around him has kept his head high.
“This tragedy has brought out the best in people,” said Guthrie. “I have had outreach from former classmates and teammates at Wabash. I had professional colleagues from years past checking in on me. Professional organizations I belong to have blessed my family financially and pointed me towards resources. My parents and sisters have welcomed my family into their homes for an extended, and indefinite period of time. My wife and two children have been solid, and kept me on track. It is with their love and support that I am able to continue to lead our family through this difficult chapter.”
And it was not just a special moment for him, but also for some of his closest friends. It was a testament to just the type of person that Guthrie is to those around him.
“To me, it’s a reflection of both how incredible JJ is as a person and how awesome the Wabash family is,” said Cross. “I’ve told my kids that JJ is proof that if you are a kind person, who genuinely cares about others, when an inevitable tragedy strikes the community you’ve built will respond. He’s the rare friend who always stays in touch by calling and texting ‘just because.’ The support he’s receiving now is deserved and it makes me incredibly happy and proud that the Wabash family responded in the way they did.”
What started out as a devastating moment has turned into a story of inspiration and new beginnings. And funny enough, even after being 2,000 miles away, this moment spurred Guthrie’s memory of just why he went to Wabash College in the first place.
“It reminded me of why I went to Wabash,” said Guthrie. “Always means always. When I visited as a high school student, the sense of community was different than anything I had experienced and was palpable. To have folks call even if they didn’t know what to say, just to let me know that I was loved, and that I would be okay meant everything. It made me further cherish my memories and relationships with different students, and especially my Wabash football family. There really isn’t another place like Wabash.