Altadena Future Fair provides rebuilding resources for wildfire survivors

Some Altadena Fire survivors chose to spend their Mother's Day at the Altadena Future Fair, hoping to gather more information about rebuilding after the wildfire.

A day usually dedicated to all the moms but a group of wildfire survivors, contractors, county officials leaning on one another to continue the rebuilding efforts inside the Pasadena Convention Center.

"My wife was here earlier, and I was set to go celebrate Mother's Day with her mother, who's 101, but I'll see you her next Wednesday and so we decided, well maybe it's better if I learn and get exposed to some of these things," said Rex Mayreis, who lost his home during the Eaton Fire.

For some, like 99-year-old Don Martin, it's a day he's still spending with family as he and his daughter look for the best options to build back their home that burned down.

"We hope to make progress and get rebuilt and move back into that same area," Martin said.

Fair organizer Frankie Norstad said over 1,200 people RSVP'd for the weekend's grassroots event, which she said aims to unite residents, innovators and local leaders to envision and rebuild the community's future.

"I lost my house January 7th and pretty quickly it became obvious that we needed something big," Norstad said.  "For a lot of people that I talked to, they felt like 'Oh this is happening too soon,' I think if your house burned down, and you felt like this conversation could've happened a month ago."

Many at the event said they can't rebuild and be back in their homes soon enough but they're grateful for the people who they can lean on during this time of need. Attendees said this type of community fair is something they would like to see more of.

Use this link to find out more information about the Altadena Future Fair.