Former Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun was evacuated from his California home for most of the past six weeks due to the Wildfires in Los Angeles.
Braun, 41, spoke of his appreciation for firefighters who continue to try to keep people and buildings safe.
“Firefighters and first responders are true heroes,” Braun told Fox News Digital on Saturday. “I don’t think we get a chance to thank them enough. But those boys risked their lives. They worked day and night. I know some firefighters who literally haven’t slept for 72 hours. o’clock.
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Former Milwaukee Brewers player Ryan Braun waves to fans during a ceremony announcing his retirement from baseball before a game against the New York Mets at American Family Field. (Benny Sieu/USA Today Sports)
‘These guys are doing everything they can to save as many people and structures as possible. They are incredibly grateful for all they have done for the community, and today is a chance to thank as many of them as possible. possible.”
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Braun, along with World Series champion Mike Moustakas, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, Brewers star Christian Yelich and the Brewers’ Mike Attanasio founded California Strong to help communities affected by the disaster.
California Strong is a program of the YMCA focused on providing support to all Californians after disasters.
Yelich spoke about the California community continuing to support each other in times of need.
“The community seems to step up every time there are people in need. I remember the Woolsey Fire was about seven years ago now and that seems to have flown by, but it’s a long recovery process. You know, it is not something that lasts a day, a week, even a year,” Yelich told Fox News Digital.
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The Sunset Fire burns in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on January 8, 2025. (Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It’s a multi-year process, and just to help people get back on their feet here initially, hopefully be able to stay with them through the whole process and get back to normal whenever that may be.”
Moustakas talked about how California Strong emerged from Braun, Yelich, Goff and Attanasio simply connecting during tough times.
“It started with us checking in on each other, but quickly turned into us trying to use our platforms to help people in need. And that’s one of the greatest things about what we were able to do in baseball: use the platform for good,” Moustakas told Fox News Digital.
“We were very fortunate to have this YMCA partner with us, and from there it just kind of took off. And we’re here today supporting a ton of families with a great community. We’re very excited to help these people.”
Braun talked about how long and difficult the rebuilding process will be for the people and how California Strong wants to help these people.
“We live in this community. We grew up in this community. We can relate to the people and what they’re going through and what they’re dealing with. Like Mike (Moustaktas), I have three young children, and so I watch this always It is a long and intimidating process for many people to think about where to even start rebuilding their lives was to support people after natural disasters and tragedies,” Braun said.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to do for the last seven years. That’s what today is all about. And the goal is to be able to support people both in the short term, immediately today and in the longer term as they move through what ends. It is a very long and challenging process to rebuild their lives.”
California Strong has partnered with Proactive Sports to help Californians get back on their feet.
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Burned residential areas as wildfires continue to wreak havoc, reaching their fifth day and wreaking havoc on residential areas in Los Angeles, January 12, 2025. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Proactive Sports has partnered with California Strong since the beginning,” Proactive Sports owner Emily Capretta told Fox News Digital. “We have unfortunately organized an event for those affected by the Woolsey Fire and the Borderline shooting, which we experienced in our community in 2018.
“And a very smart, strong group of women that we mobilized to do a community thanksgiving, and that was the beginning of California Strong,
“This particular event, on the night that those who were displaced and lost their homes, that original group of women texted saying they wanted to do this with me again. And then I also texted Ryan Braun, and I said, ‘It’s time to mobilize. We need to be the first point of action for those affected.”
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