As the Lopezes begins to regroup, daughter Alyson’s soccer team rallies to ensure that she will not miss any games
The fire crews and Malibu’s community brigade heroically battled the days-long Franklin Fire inferno and saved most homes and structures. However, a few local families lost their homes.
Rodney Wallace, a soccer coach for Views FC, a local club team, first informed The Malibu Times about the Lopez family losing their home on Serra Road.
Wallace coaches Alyson Lopez, 12, and he started a GoFundMe campaign for the family.
The Malibu Times caught up with Lety Lopez, who, along with her husband Nicolas, and their three children, is trying to rebound from the trauma of losing a home in a fire.
Where to go to find housing? What to eat for dinner and where, given you cannot cook in your own kitchen? What about clothing and laundry? All of these stressful questions press against fire victims, as many in Malibu are painfully aware.
When asked how Malibuites could best help the family, in addition to contributing to the GoFundMe campaign, Lety noted that the family is in need of housing and because they are having to move from place to place and only have their car, they are not yet in a position to accept donations of clothing or furniture.
“Our most immediate need is housing, so if any realtors could help us with listings of possible rentals nearby, that would be most appreciated,” Lety said. “With regard to addressing other needs, perhaps people could donate gift cards for food and basics — that way, we can purchase as we go since we are still figuring out lodging.”
It’s game time!
As she explains the situation, one can hear the resolve in Lety’s voice — she and her family will find a way through this ordeal and be resilient. In the meantime, Dec. 13 is not just another day — rather, Alyson will show up for her team and play soccer.
The team plays in three games in a tournament on that day and, according to Coach Wallace, Alyson will have all of the things she needs to play, including a uniform, shoes, and cleats, thanks to the team’s generous teamwork in spearheading donations.
“Alyson will play this weekend and doing so is such a nice distraction for her,” Letty said.
Beloved by her team, Coach Wallace notes that Alyson is integral to the team’s spirit.
“Alyson is a kind teammate and she embodies everything that Views FC is all about — self-respect, respect for others andfor the game,” he said. “She has grown so much on and off the field and her skill and work ethic has immensely improved — that’s because she loves her team and she loves the game.”
Elaborating, he said, “Off the field, Alyson is polite and fierce. She’s a leader by example and I’m very proud to be her coach.”
Pausing to reflect, he added, “I’m very glad her family is OK — this is a devastating moment for them and I hope they know that Views is more than a club — it’s a community that loves and supports her.”
Should anyone in the Malibu community want to help the Lopez family, they can reach out to nicolas59@verizon.net.