The situation in LA County has been nothing short of heartbreaking. Firestorms have wreaked havoc, leaving behind a trail of devastation and claiming 11 lives, according to official reports. While firefighters continue their valiant battle to douse the flames, with four fires still ablaze as of Saturday, the concern and anxiety among residents are palpable. Amid this challenging time, the tennis world has rallied together, showing solidarity and offering prayers for the victims and their families. The latest to join this heartfelt chorus is none other than the legendary Serena Williams.
The firestorms in LA have turned more than 10,000 structures into rubbles. Over 153,000 people have already been evacuated and around a similar number of residence are at risk of further evacuation. With the insured losses expected to be somewhere over $8 Billion, the devastation caused is one of the most terrifying ones in the history of the county. Now, Williams has come forward, joining her husband Alexis Ohanian, and several others, in offering her prayers for the victims.
Taking to X, the tennis great wrote, “
Just praying praying incessantly, for my family and friends… And just everyone involved.” And these prayers are definitely needed given the heartbreaking statements that are emerging time and again. Despite the death toll being 11 so far, officially, around 13 others are missing and County Sheriff Robert Luna has already highlighted that the death toll might just go up. “We do, unfortunately, anticipate that deaths will go up because of the destruction that we’re seeing. We’re not able to get in there in a manner — because it’s still not safe — to really do a thorough search.” Notably, Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian has also been at the forefront when it comes to extending his prayers and offering help for those who suffered from the devastation.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 11, 2025
Ohanian took to his X on a few hours earlier and tried to find solace in the success of the UVA Women’s Basketball Team’s Win. Calling the week “dark”, the Reddit co-founder wrote, “Small ray of sunshine on a dark week – great job, ladies.” Remember, Ohanian has been a vocal supporter of women’s sports and could only look upon it for some happiness amid the LA fires. He has also been attempting to help the victims through donations.
Serena Williams’ husband took to his X and asked his followers to help him identify a reliable and efficient organization so that he could send support and relief to the victims. “Devastating. Who are the best orgs with the least overhead aka most efficiency we should be donating to help?” he wrote. But Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian are not the only names who are stepping up to offer their prayers. One of the latest voices came from American sensation Coco Gauff, who not only expressed her support but also made a special pledge.
Besides Serena Williams, Coco Gauff steps up to help LA wildfires victims
The tennis community is continuously demonstrating the need for unity amid testing times. Several players are stepping up and one of the latest to pledge support for the victims is none other than Coco Gauff. In a video shared by Tennis Channel on X, the 20-year-old can be seen making a heartfelt statement for the victims and promising to support them in fighting the testing times.
Speaking in the video, Gauff said, “First I would like to just send my thoughts and prayers to all those affected by this fire and send my biggest thank you to the firefighters and first responders who are out there and fighting these fires. Especially the incarcerated firefighters who aren’t getting paid as much.” Continuing further, she promised that she would always be there to support those affected by the catastrophe and pledged to extend financial assistance as well.
“We appreciate you and we love you, and yeah, Stay strong Southern California. Just know I’ll be there to support and donate and help rebuild,” Gauff added. Now, what remains crucial to see is how soon the firefighters can contain the remaining blazes, thereby ending the chaos. As LA County continues to grapple with this tragedy, one can only hope for their challenges to end soon.
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