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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 538
 
Location: Hamburg-Germany | https://gofund.me/571be6f3 |
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Expert
Posts: 4115
 
Location: Connecticut | A bit more descriptive: One of the main suppliers of Mopar parts for our hobby, John Fowlie of Big M Auto, had a structure fire at his place. His house was destroyed, as well as a number of project cars. He and his wife, M'Lisa, survived, although M'Lisa needed to be hospitalized due to smoke inhalation. Here is a link to the GoFundMe page to help John and M'Lisa rebuild: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-fowlies-of-big-m-auto-home-lost-to-housefire?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_content=undefined&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=undefined Ron |
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Location: The Centennial State | Oh, no! I'm glad John and M'Lisa are relatively ok. Tragedy! |
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Expert
Posts: 2118
Location: Idaho - where men are men and spuds are spuds | That same post and pic are on Big M's facebook page. Has anyone talked to John or M'Lisa? UPDATE: I just spoke to John by phone, and the fire happened last week near dusk. Apparently started by cotton fluffs/leaves from cottonwood trees falling into compost pile near house. John tried to put fire out with hose & fire extinguisher, but failed. House was totally consumed quickly, but fortunately M'Lisa & her sister were able to escape. Besides the house, about a dozen project cars were destroyed. The other outbuildings were saved. Go-fund-me is legitimate - started by John's nephew. Since all of the California wildfires in past years, John has been unable to obtain insurance due to wood stove heat and distance from fire hydrant/fire department.
Edited by Mope R. Geezer 2023-05-15 12:39 PM
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Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 10033
Location: So. Cal | How much money does gofundme take? I'm going to give directly to his paypal instead. |
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Expert
Posts: 2118
Location: Idaho - where men are men and spuds are spuds | I was wondering the same since I've never used gofundme before. According to their website, they charge a 2.9 percent payment processing fee and $0.30 per donation. I will be sending mine directly to John via snail mail. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 5102
| yeah just make sure it specified gift, he wont want to pay taxes or fees on it |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 409
Location: Hilltown, PA | Funds sent to his Paypal could be construed as business income . .
Perhaps we could post a currently viable mailing address in this thread so donations can be sent directly, and discretely, to John?
Gregg
Edited by LostDeere59 2023-05-17 9:49 AM
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Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 10033
Location: So. Cal | His info is on his website.
http://www.bigmauto.com/ |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7825
Location: Williams California | It's all true.
I was just finishing unloading two cars from my trailer, and putting the forklift away, when I noticed a random car seat next to a rack of hoods on fire. I ran over to the well, and filled a bucket to douse the fire. that's when I noticed smoke at the front of the house. I have a garden there, and using the hose was my first though. I came around the corner, and a woodpile I keep there was on fire, but my concern was the house. Fire was under the front porch, and flew up the honeysuckle vines into the eves. the power line above crackled and sparked, I threw the hose down and yelled at my wife to get the hell out, the house is on fire. Her sister has been staying with us, but luckily was not sleeping, and they made it out. Not more than five minutes since I noticed the smoke, the entire house was engulfed. We moved our daily drivers away, but my sister in law's keys were in the house, so it was left behind. There were about a dozen fire trucks that arrived to help put out the fire, it had spread to the project car area by then. M'lisa was admitted to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning, and I and M'chel [her sister] stayed with our nephew, Allan Benavidez, in Yuba city, 40 miles away.
The next day, I drove over to see what all might have been left, we stayed far away from the firefighters so they could do their job the night before, so we had no idea. Miraculously, they saved all the outbuildings where the restored cars were, and my barn. The entire house and contents were destroyed. M'lisa is out of the hospital and breathing better, we lost our pet cats, but saved our black lab.
The fire chief, after doing his investigation, surmised that it could have started by spontaneous combustion in a leaf pile, or sunlight shining through a half filled water bottle, or a cigarrette. The last one is unlikely, as we don't smoke, and nobody was there that day other than us 3.
---John |
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Expert
Posts: 2206
Location: Muskego, WI | This is terrible news John, but I"m glad to hear that you and your family are ok. |
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Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 10033
Location: So. Cal | I hope you can get something new built as soon as possible. It stinks to live away from your family business. If it were me, I would take my revenge out on that tree and remove it from mortal existence. |
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Expert
Posts: 3585
Location: Blythewood, SC | John, for those of us that would like to make a contribution to you directly would you post a mailing address for us to send a check? |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 6571
Location: Newark, Texas (Fort Worth) | Big M Automotive Classic Car Dismantler
(530) 473-2225
271 N. 7th Street
Williams, Ca 95987
http://www.bigmauto.com/
Edited by mstrug 2023-05-18 7:36 AM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7825
Location: Williams California | Thanks, Marc!! |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8446
Location: Perth Australia | Sorry for your disaster John
I am glad to hear that you and your family are OK
Always a silver lining to these things, so I hope yours shows itself soon
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Expert
Posts: 1316
Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | I was shocked to discover the extent of that fire at John's place.
And, reading the story, I was stunned at the fact that they had only 5 to 10 minutes to get out of the house before it was engulfed in the flames.
John has always been very helpful during the long years of restoring my car.
And I still have fond memories of the incredible 4 days I spent in California in 2011, just to attend his annual pig roast.
All my thoughts are with you and your family, John.
I'll gladly make a contribution.
Vincent
Edited by Chrome58 2023-05-23 9:01 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1188
Location: D-70199 Heslach | I got this bad news while i was traveling in italy without internet. I was glad to hear that nothing happened to you personally. Losing your home and all the memories associated with it is still painful. I am particularly affected because I know the house on the Salvage site and the space available and of course the proximity to the barn, at least the restored vehicles survived, which makes me particularly happy. Not that the cars are more important to me - it's more that I'm glad that the fire didn't spread to the whole site. Thus, at least the working basis of the bigM and of course the financial value of the vehicles have been preserved.
All my thoughts are with you and your family, John.
I'll gladly make a contribution.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1150
Location: Southern California | Hi John, I just read the tragic news! So terribly sorry this happened to you and your family. Thank goodness you guys are ok! Hang in there, it will all be ok.
I'll be making a contribution! Good luck John!
Mike |
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Veteran
Posts: 150
Location: Mandurah, Western Australia | Sorry to hear about the fire and the effect on your family, John, but glad to hear you are ok.
You have given a helping hand to so many over the years and hopefully it is time for you to receive in return
Jim |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 416
Location: North Central Alberta Canada | Just heard about this, holy crap.
Im glad you and M'Lisa are OK..
you guys have always been so good to me and a
the gang at ICC that its the least we can do to help you out.
Donation sent, I wish I could get hold of everyone and hopefully
get more donations heading your way.
The forum is down so I dont know where everyone is. |
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Expert
Posts: 3156
Location: NY & VT | Whoa!! I've just read this as I'm not on here much anymore due to no FL cars at present, but John! thanks be that you and your family are OK!
Hope your business will be able to recover, hopefully your personal FL cars you've put so much of yourself into are OK too! Big M has been a huge help to me and many others with our old car work over so many years. Best wishes from NY!! |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7825
Location: Williams California | Figured I'd update our situation.
After a year and a half, we are nearly ready to move into our new home. We decided on going with a modular home, as the old house was grandfathered in on industrial zoned property, and they would only allow 6 months to have all permits pulled and plans drawn or they would delete the grandfather clause. The city has worked with us, and the generosity of everyone has helped get us back on our feet quickly. it's been a lot of work, too, we demolished and hauled off what was left of the old house, removed all old foundations and footings, removed several huge cottonwood trees that the heat killed, and brought in many truckloads of road base. Most of this was done by I and a couple helpers.
It'll be nice to get back to the cars, and more relaxing things.
---John |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
Location: Beaumont TX | I'm glad things are getting better for you John. Thanks for all of the help you have always given me...
Sam |
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Member
Posts: 10
| Man, what a journey. Hope the new place feels like home soon. |
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Big m fire
