South Bay salon gathers donations for wildfire victims

The outpouring of support for the victims of the Camp Fire is still growing. A salon in the South Bay gathered donations for a young mother and her son who lost their home in Paradise. They had just moved in last month.

For five-year-old Aiden Bush, it's the simple things that bring him and his mother Brittney joy. Donations given to them by the community is a sign of a brighter future.

“It was kind of a scene out of a movie,” said Brittney Bush, fire victim. “I never experienced any natural disaster before in my life so it was really scary.”

Six weeks ago, Brittney Bush and her son moved from the Bay Area into what was supposed to be their forever home. The Camp Fire reduced it to rubble.

“That was probably one of the heartbreaking moments of my life I would say,” said Bush. “I think I was prepared my house was not going to be there, but the realization of it not being there, I think I am still in shock.”

No one was more excited about the new home than Aiden. 

“When I saw the video of him looking at his room for the first time,” said Maria Repetto of Capelli Couture Salon. “It was just devastating to know that two weeks later it was all gone.”

Repetto owns Capelli Couture Salon in San Jose’s Willow Glen. Brittney’s mother Deborah is a client at the salon.

“I’m just glad she's alive and my grandson that they made it out okay,” said Deborah Bus, Brittney’s mother. “They are going to get everything they need. We are going to help them. The community is helping out.”

A call on social media resulted in donations piling up on the salon's porch.

Brittney Bush said the hardest part was losing memories in that home in Paradise. However, they're now making a new memory of the community helping them in their time of need. 

“It’s overwhelming,” said Bush. “I never thought there would be this many people trying to help me. It’s amazing. I’m super thankful for everyone.”

For now, Brittney Bush and her son are staying in a motel in Chico hoping to find housing. She didn’t have insurance.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up for them: https://www.gofundme.com/k9m3ro

The salon will be also collecting donations all week. Ultimately, the family hopes to move back to Paradise one day.