A fundraising campaign has been launched to support DIIV frontman Zachary Cole Smith and his family, who were recently impacted by the devastating wildfires ravaging Los Angeles.
The fires, which began on January 7, have already displaced over 150,000 residents and caused extensive destruction across the city.
More than 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as six fires rage in the area, with the most recent wreaking havoc through the Hollywood Hills after the original blaze began in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood.
At least 1,000 buildings have been destroyed, including the homes of several Hollywood stars, including Paris Hilton, James Woods, Billy Crystal, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, as well as Adam Brody and Leighton Miester.
Smith and his pregnant wife Dani, and their two-year-old child Roy, have also been catastrophically effected, prompting the fundraising initiative.
Although they are safe, the family’s home was completely destroyed in the fires.
Smith is the frontman for the band DIIV (pronounced dive) who released a critically acclaimed album in May of 2024.
The band was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 2011 and consists of Zachary Cole Smith (vocals, guitar), Andrew Bailey (guitar), Colin Caulfield (bass, keyboards, guitar, vocals) and Ben Newman (drums).
A GoFundMe page created by the couple’s friend Lindsey Hartman details the extent of the family’s loss, noting that in addition to their home, the fire destroyed important possessions, including Smith’s musical equipment, their car, and vital baby supplies for Roy and the new baby on the way.
Hartman highlighted the additional emotional toll of the situation, pointing out that Dani is six months pregnant, which has made the tragedy even harder to bear.
The fundraiser aims to help the family rebuild their lives, although Hartman noted that the target of $30,000 would hardly cover the full extent of the damage.
Posted less than 24 hours ago, the fundraising is quickly approaching $36k, already well past the original target.
In a heartfelt message posted on the GoFundMe page, Zachary and Dani Smith expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support.
They wrote: The kindness we’ve experienced today from our friends, family, neighbors, fellow parents, and even strangers has been truly overwhelming.’
We are just one of many families who have lost everything, but the sense of community and shared experience has brought us comfort amidst the sadness.’
The couple continued to share their gratitude for each contribution, emphasising the importance of restoring normalcy for their young son, Roy, and preparing for the arrival of their new baby.
‘Your generosity has given us hope and reminded us of the good in people,’ they wrote. ‘Thank you for making us feel deserving of such kindness. We love you.’
The fundraiser is ongoing, and anyone wishing to contribute can do so via the GoFundMe page.
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