Meesto

I appreciate my godfather's story being used as an example to others, but feel it is important to stress that the tips mentioned here would not have prevented heavy snow from pulling the power line from his building and starting the fire.

I would add that you should make certain that the insurance policy you are signing up for really covers what you are asking to have covered. There are a lot of slippery sales people that only care about making a sale and taking your money.

Chris Mills

I'm somewhat disheartened by the comments I have read here. Jon is my godfather and as family I have a very good idea of what his situation is.

1. He had insurance, but his insurance company has not been very forthcoming and we are not certain what, if anything they are going to cover.

2. Jon is a very distinguished artist and has been fortunate in having his work gain visibility in the art world. Previous grants and fellowships did not make him rich and are not an indication of his means with which to recover from a tragedy like the fire of January 18th. Small artist's grants can help pay for essential items like taxes and bills, and are not a path to riches.

3. All of Jon's records were in his studio office and the degree of loss is huge. Even simple things like his address book are gone - it's all gone and there is nothing dishonorable in asking for help.

Just because he is a famous artist doesn't mean that he is rich.

Respectfully,
Chris Mills