Antinori family GoFundMe raises over $80,000 as family lose firstborn daughter’s ashes in LA fires

The wildfires raging through Southern California have left many families in despair, including Leonardo and Giorgi Antinori, who lost their home along with the ashes of their firstborn daughter, Vita, who passed away aged one 15 years ago, according to CNN.

The Antinoris, who evacuated their blue wooden bungalow in the Palisades Bowl mobile home community with their two-year-old daughter, returned to find the house in which they had lived for more than a decade gutted by fire.

Among their most devastating losses were the remains of their infant daughter Vita, who died 15 years ago. Giorgi in an interview told CNN how the couple felt helpless and devastated after the incident. She said:

"Every memory, every piece of physical evidence of her life is just gone, I feel numb right now because I feel like I’ve cried all of my emotions."

The couple stated that they had stopped covering their home with insurance, which they couldn't afford due to increasing financial pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Daily Mail report.

A GoFundMe campaign created for the family has collected more than $80,000 to help them rebuild their lives. Addressing the help provided by people around the world, Giorgi said:

"We didn’t have insurance anymore because we couldn’t afford it, but the generosity of donors has been a blessing."

The couple is among hundreds of residents in the fire-prone Palisades Bowl area who are now homeless. Many, like the Antinoris, have found it hard to keep pace with the increasing cost of insurance in the region, where premiums have tripled due to the risk of natural calamities.

More about the LA Wildfires amidst Leonardo and Giorgi Antinori’s loss

The Palisades Fire is one of the largest wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles, which has already consumed 23,000 acres of land. Reports online state that at least 24 people have passed away, and more than 100,000 residents have been forced out of their homes.

Leonardo Antinori, who is a music producer, and Giorgi, who co-manages NewVine Music & Publishing, have called the crisis a “surreal nightmare.” The couple has a two-year-old daughter, and they have stated how they want to be strong for her in the face of devastating grief and uncertainty.

Besides the GoFundMe campaign, the Antinoris have recently found out that they qualify for full FEMA financial assistance, which has funds for housing and personal needs post disaster.

According to Fox News, Giorgi stated that the financial aid is still only a fraction of what is needed to rebuild their lives in California, where their home was worth $400,000.