Prof. in our department lost his home to a fire on Thanksgiving Day

[MissMillie]

He and his girl were out of town, they got a call early in the morning from Harvard Real Estate (that's who owned the 3-family home). They were trying to find everyone. He got a call later in the day saying that the building burned to the ground and was being bulldozed that afternoon. His 78 year old neighbor died.

Here's the thing. I want to be helpful, but I don't know how. He makes a pretty good salary as a professor here, and there's insurance that's going to cover a lot. Plus the department--loaded with wealthy professors--will be doing a lot. Harvard Real Estate has already given them a place to live.

I don't really have any expendable money.

I offered to make a list of things that they would probably never remember that need replacing (like can openers and salt & pepper shakers).

What else can I do?

[lizziegrace]

1. How old is his girl?

If she's young enough, maybe offer to watch her. He's going to have so much to take care of.

[MissMillie]

3. sorry.. that should have been "girlfriend"

my bad

[lizziegrace]

10. Well my suggestion certainly won't do!

Moral support, organizing people to take food to wherever he ends up and I like the idea of making a list of things easily forgotten and overlooked.

Also, colleagues who are friends might be able to make copies of photos lost in the fire?

[1gobluedem]

2. 'Tis the season, I guess

Someone tried to burn our building down early Sunday morning. I work on a college campus and the Student Judicial Services offices ae in our building. Either this person was unhappy with a ruling or had a pending case and decided that the best solution was to burn the place down. Fortunately, the fire was limited to those three offices and the rest of the building is intact but they've turned off the heat while they do some clean up and it's 38 degrees....

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. That would so suck. I cna't imagine what it would feel like to lose a home

As to what you can do - financially, as you say, probably not much, and they likely don't really need any of that anyway.

Perhaps send a card around to the student body for people to sign.

Or maybe get together with a bunch of other students and do some kind of large painting that's fun and exciting and personal and say something like "This is to put on your new wall until you can replace the artwork that you lost".

[bluestateguy]

5. I'd stick to moral support

Looks like he will be taken care of by the powers that be, which is more than what many of the Katrina survivors received.

But he still deserves to be treated with respect, and maybe something like a wall decoration would be a nice gesture.

I hope this guy saved his students' grades on a computer away from home!

[MissMillie]

6. I don't think he's teaching this semester

thank goodness

[DS1]

7. One of the Prof's in our school had her entire house blow up

in a gas explosion :scared:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. Get together with other people in the department and

arrange a schedule of asking them over for home-cooked meals.

[ernstbass]

9. Any gesture will be appreciated

My house burned to the ground on Christmas Eve 20 years ago. Even with insurance it was absolutely devestating. I still remember the kind gestures of others - the home cooked meal idea is especially good, as food is nurturing.