View this post on Instagram
The devastating LA fires are relentlessly tearing through neighborhoods, destroying over 12,300 buildings and displacing thousands of people. Among those affected is street photographer Marcus Ubungen, who tragically lost his home in Altadena to the Eaton fire. The blaze not only destroyed his residence but also all of his photography equipment, leaving his family with next to nothing.
Fortunately, Ubungen, his wife Ursula, and their two young children, Alma (7) and Theo (2), evacuated just in time. They managed to pack two carry-on-sized bags, filling them with essential documents such as passports, social security cards, and the kids’ birth certificates. However, when they returned to their home, they found their entire property reduced to rubble.
Before evacuating, Ubungen managed to tuck a few of his small cameras into his backpack, along with his grandfather’s camera lens. However, he lost the majority of the equipment essential for his livelihood, as well as his film. “I lost my 8×10 camera, 4×5 camera, lenses in every format, all my lighting gear, a full Canon R5 kit, and a Sony FX9 Cinema package,” he reveals. “And there’s the stuff around that stuff—all the accessories, my film processor, printer, paper, computer setup, and flatbed scanners. It was quite a bit.”
Ubungen shared a heartbreaking video on Instagram, walking through the ashes of what was once his family’s home. However, amid the devastation, he pointed out “small signs of hope”—a single blooming rose, a resilient fruit tree still standing, and the children’s playhouse miraculously untouched. In another recent photo depicting a carousel, Ubungen writes, “My brain feels like this photo—a constant swirl of stress, spinning endlessly but not really going anywhere. I’ve lost track of what day it is. I know it’s been a week since the fire took our home, and life has been a blur of to-do lists, living out of a suitcase, juggling two kids, and bouncing from place to place.”
Ubungen and his family are currently staying with relatives as they work to rebuild their home through their insurance policy. However, the rebuilding process is often lengthy and uncertain, leaving the family in an unstable situation. In a bid to help them get up and running again, the family’s friend, Tiffany Teddy, set up a GoFundMe campaign.
Donations will go towards the family’s immediate needs, including basic necessities for the kids, clothes, food, and replacing equipment they depend on. The campaign has garnered support from over 1,000 generous donors worldwide, raising an impressive total of more than $140,000. The family say, “A huge thank you to everyone who has already contributed. We are so humbled by the incredible outpouring of support.”
You can help support the family by donating to their GoFundMe campaign here, and be sure to check out Ubungen’s stunning photography on Instagram. Let’s hope this family can rebuild and return to normalcy as soon as possible!
If you want to help those who have been affected by the fires in the LA area, check out this list of wildfire relief initiatives. For those affected by the fires, please refer to this updated list of resources for shelter, food, clothing, pet care, and more.
Photographer Marcus Ubungen lost his home, his family’s belongings, and almost all of his photography gear to the Eaton fire.
View this post on Instagram
You can help this wonderful family get back on their feet by contributing to a GoFundMe campaign set up by a friend.
View this post on Instagram
Marcus Ubungen: Instagram | GoFundMe
Sources: Support Ursula, Marcus and family after Eaton fire; Photographer Loses His Home and All of His Gear in LA Wildfires
Related Articles:
Aerial Footage Captures Devastating Scope of LA Wildfires
Heartwarming Video of Firefighter Comforting a Dog in the LA fires Prompts Rescue of the Lost Pet
Watch In-N-Out Customers Erupt Into Cheers for Firefighters Fighting LA Fires
Sikh Communities in Southern California Are Organizing Relief Efforts for Victims of LA Firestorms