MLB teams rallying to replace young fan’s baseball memorabilia lost in Santa Rosa wildfire

There are dozens of tragic stories and examples of uplifting support coming out of the North Bay wildfires every day, and the fires haven’t even been contained yet. Homes have been lost, pets, livelihoods, and most importantly dozens of loved ones who couldn’t escape the ongoing blazes.

But amid all of the large-scale tragedy, there are some stories that hit you right in the heart because of their specificity, because how easily you can feel what the person is going through because it’s a universal tale of loss — but one that’s easy to process.

That’s what the story of Loren Jade Smith is, something that’s universal and sad but also far easier to focus on than some of the more awful stories coming out of Northern California right now.

Loren, 9, whose house burned down in the fires, wrote a letter to his favorite team, the Oakland A’s, detailing the memorabilia collection that he was so proud of that was lost in the fire.

He lays out what he lost, including years worth of baseball cards and a ball from a game, and explains all of the different ways he enjoys baseball — from backyard World Series games or teaching his infant brother how to throw.

The entire letter is below, in case his handwriting is tough to read.

To the Oakland A’s:

I love watching your A’s games. I want to be an A’s player and I play at Mark West Little League in Santa Rosa. I played baseball in my backyard all day loving the A’s and making up my own game. In my backyard they won six World Series in a row. But my house burned down in the Santa Rosa fire and my saddest things was my baseball collection cards, my 17 jerseys and 10 hats and my baseball from the game and also a ball signed by the whole team and Rickey Henderson and Bob Melvin. My brother and me have so much fun but he is only 9 months old. I am teaching him how to throw balls. I have every single A’s card from 2000 to now but I am 9-years-old. I had a major league baseball and it all burned up. So sad. I know you are not all together but hope they get this.

By Loren

Now, without an uplifting twist in this story, it would just be really sad. But lucky for everybody that twist happened, as players and teams from all around the league are rallying to Loren’s cause and sending him some memorabilia. A’s President Dave Kaval and the entire organization posted their support, and their minor league teams sent things too.

Other teams and personalities from around the league like the Rays and Rockies have joined in to help Loren, as well, once the story reached them. Even Topps is contributing!

The Mets sent things as well, but in true Mets fashion made a typo in the tweet.

This new collection can’t replace his old one, or his family’s home. But for an elementary school kid with a memorabilia collection that impressive, the response from his favorite team and others is probably a big deal.

He hasn’t lost his baseball-loving spirit in the fire though, as you can see from this impressive home run call.

If you want to contribute to Loren’s new collection, you can send it to the address the A’s provided in the tweet embedded above. If you can’t send anything, we’re sure well wishes will be just as helpful both to Loren’s family and all affected by the continuing fires.