Retired teacher’s GoFundMe raises over $145,000 after losing everything to LA fire while on 43rd-anniversary trip 

Gayle Nicholls-Ali, a retired teacher, and her husband Rasheed Ali lost their home in Altadena, California, when the Eaton Fire ravaged it while they were on a 43rd-anniversary trip in the Bahamas. The fire, which began on January 7, 2025, eventually engulfed their 30-year-old residence and all of their belongings, including priceless artwork and personal memorabilia.

Due to this tragedy, the couple's sons have organized 2 GoFundMe. One has raised more than $53,000 to help the couple rebuild from this tragedy. The second one has raised over $92,000 in the campaign, and amounts have risen beyond $145,000 as of January 24, 2025.

The support came in from friends, former students, and members of the La Cañada High School community, in which Gayle taught for 17 years.

The platform adds:

“Gayle has impacted thousands of students through her career teaching photography with the La Canada Unified School District. She was 2018 La Cañada Teacher of the Year, and beloved by everyone she taught. Gayle is also a renowned fine arts photographer, Girls Who Code advocate, and an adjunct professor at Pacific Oaks College.”

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Gayle Nicholls-Ali about Eaton fires

People magazine exclusively interviewed Gayle Nicholls-Ali about her emotional turmoil following the Eaton Fire that destroyed her home in Altadena, California.

They celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary in the Bahamas just before learning that their house burned down on January 7, 2025.

Gayle recalled when she first heard about the fire. They initially thought that their house was safe because the news reports said the fire was going away from their place.

They woke up to find that the fire had spread a lot and destroyed their house, which they had lived in for over 30 years.

"I just screamed," Gayle said, recounting how she felt when she realized they had lost everything, from their cars to irreplaceable sentimental items.

The pain of losing all the artwork and all the creative tools struck Gayle, a brilliant photographer. She lamented the fact that all the years of accumulation went up in ash in an instant.

As they embark on the rebuilding process, Gayle is pragmatic about what awaits them. She said that though her insurance firm was responsive, she hardly expected to get adequate compensation for the things at their place.

She thinks there are not going to be enough funds to balance out the loss in actual terms. Itemizing their losses proved highly emotional for her and Rasheed because every item was a reminder of their experience.

Still, Gayle says she will rebuild her life in Altadena.

"There's absolutely nowhere else I can imagine living. And I absolutely will rebuild."

Rasheed told People magazine:

“My friends have told me that they've cried for us. And equally, we have cried for them.”