Fires in California have taken lives and burned down thousands of homes to the tune of millions but where there is disaster, there are always heroes.
The fires in the USA have been brutal, they have burned down celebrity mansions and unspeakable amounts land. They have taken lives and left hundreds-of-thousands displaced and homeless.
The most terrifying part is the fires raged towards ranches where horses and other animals are housed. Watching the news gave us flashbacks of Cody the Pony and the Knysna fires. As always though, where there is disaster there are also heroes.
The Pandra, an Instagram user famous for showcasing his Toyota Tundra, used his giant pick-up (aka a bakkie in SA) to help evacuate and rescue people from the ferocious fires. In the process, his beloved car was burned and badly damaged by the blazes he encountered.
The Pandra shared an image on Instagram of the damage but captioned it,
“Here’s my Toyota USA commercial. This truck literally saved my life today. My little town of Paradise was literally burning down around me and the_pandra got me to safety where I could help others…twice. Thanks to the firefighters, law enforcement and my fellow healthcare workers for the work we all did getting the hospital evacuated and our patients to safety.”
All the plastic fittings on the vehicle melted off in a matter of seconds. The body of the bakkie took on massive amounts of heat and the doors have holes burned right through to the other side.
Followers of the account quickly started tagging Toyota USA in the post and not long after, the company came forward and offered to replace the car free of charge.
Watching all the video footage of people helping out has warmed our hearts and it is so great to see such a massive company rewarding a hero for his efforts.
The fires may have wiped out entire communities but it cannot wipe out the human spirit and the engrained goodness that lives within each of us.
Our hearts go out to California!
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