House burned down....

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Not mine but a real good friend and TDI client. I found out last night about 8pm.

He live out in the country near Tyrol ski hill north of Mt Horeb where I was looking at houses.

It's a total loss and I just can't believe it.....He is OK no pets or others injured but it was a 4 alarm 6 hour battle. I'm just sick for him and all you loose in 30 years of living at a place. Plus his livelihood as an attorney, a good one and not your typical one...so don't go there. Being a Rider half of his collection of vintage and current bikes are gone as well. Before you get any ideas of "oh, he's wealthy, it's no big deal for him!" He isn't, and it's a big deal.

Sorry for the mini rant but on another forum they actually sent me PM's saying Who cares! :mad: :eek:

Someones going to get a sock in the teeth when I see them next...

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_77edfb9a-39fd-11df-8f40-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story
 

manual_tranny

Smyth Performance- Intern
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Location
New Bedford, MA
TDI
2001 Golf @182K; 2000 Jetta @290K
It's always a big deal to loose everything, my stomach turned when I read about the bikes. What about his TDI? Insurance?
 

All of Us

Ian's Dad
Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Location
Brookfield, IL
TDI
2015 NMS Passat SE TDI "Gin" 2006 A5 New Jetta TDI "Graycie" and 2003 A4 Jetta GLS TDI "Liath"
Jason:

Sorry to hear about your friend's loss, that really sucks. Hope he can get his life put back together with the least amount of hassles and in the shortest time possible!

Dan
 

SD26

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Location
WI
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI 5sp, 2002 Jetta TDI 5sp
Ouch...

Really stinks about the bikes too. What kind?
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
We just got back. Some good news is all the bikes were in the barn as he was prepping for spring and had neighbor kids washing them. He has a camper he's living in right now and a generator so he's OK.

Jeff is just handling it like a pro. He's just glad to be alive. He said to tell everyone they should have smoke detectors in EVERY ROOM.

I'll try and post some pics.
 

lovemybug

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2002 Red Beetle
At least that's a few less things he'll have to replace. It's sad whenever someone loses their house to a big fire like that. Doesn't matter what walk of life they're from.
 

TDITONY

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2001
Location
Milwaukee WI
TDI
02 Jetta GLS TDi Black
Fire Photos from Jason

Just hit my site to see the index of the fire photos, click on any to download or view.

www.madrabbit.ws

What a horrible loss. I just can't imagine what he must be going through.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Thanks Tony.

That's Jeff in the photo. Yes, the TDI survived.

The barn off in the far shot is where he's staying right now.
 

TT71

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2008
Location
Southeast Wi
TDI
06 Jetta DSG
Jason I hope for the best for your friend. To the asshats on the other forums. May karma visit them next.
 

quantum_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2004
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
R320 CDI, '96 B4V (for sale)
Oh my God, almost nothing but a hole left. Let Jeff know I'm sorry for his loss, but I'm glad to see the bikes and (apparently from one of the photos) skis survived. The photo of him holding the burned bike memento is just heartbreaking. Did he work from home too?

Thanks for posting the pics Tony.

:(
 

bogievw

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Location
Madison, WI
TDI
'02 Jetta Wagon- why yes, it is silver. How'd you know?
Wow! Very unfortunate. Anyone who says "who cares" after hearing that someones house burned down is worse than an asshat. What a f---wad. When one looses a home to fire or other catastrophe one looses more than belongings. There are good and bad practitioners of every profession, from ditch diggers on up.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Jeff became an attorney at 40. He was a master woodworker prior to that and due to a medical condition he could not do that any longer.

He has worked for the state for peanuts and was "cut" 2 years ago in budget constraints. He just got another state part time judge job. He sets the hearings and his calender so he does work out of the house.

The skis....LUCKILY he was going to go to CO and pray for snow this week. So he had the camper on the truck, 2 weeks of clothes and his work laptop and some files at least. Between the truck/camper, the frig and freezer from the barn and a generator he'll manage. He's an outdoor sleeping camping kind of guy anyway.

Thanks for all the Pm's folks. I've passed them along.

Jason
 

tubesguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Location
Madison, WI
TDI
'01 Golf, RC3, Sprint 520
Jason -

Talk about bad luck ... I mean having to work for the State of Wis as a lawyer. Sounds familiar.

Tell Jeff to hang in there. Quite a sobering series of pics, but he's still around, and that's what's most important. - Pat
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Thanks Pat.

I was there yesterday as the Crud's got together (some of us...) and went for a ride. The only thing that's changed is there is yellow tape around the pit...

Well, We are DRAGGING him to MOAB next week! Took a lot of arm twisting....not!
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
That's the best you can do. Nice thing about the area is it had a deep Norwegian history. Lots of farmers in this area now and in the past so it's a tight-nit community in the hilly drift less area left over from the last glaciation period.
 

adamant628

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon GLS
I don't know what I'd do in that situation. It must be terrible to see a pile of ash where your whole life used to stand. It sounds like he's gotten over obstacles before, so I hope he can do it again, but what a tragedy.

Will his insurance cover it? Emotional value aside, $225k is a heck of a lot of money.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
OH MAN.

That's brutal - my heart goes out to that guy. Sounds like he's tried to roll with the punches as best he can but this is a travesty. Treat him nice out in Moab!
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
He's really in shock about the cost to replace stuff he's owned for years. He went to REI last sat and dropped $3k in a shopping cart.....

Well have a good time. GUARANTEED!

I can't frickin' wait to get out of the shop.....LOT'S of RUDE people this spring....
 

BleachedBora

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Location
Gresham, Oregon
TDI
'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
Just saw this, condolences to Jeff; hope he gets back on his feet soon. With friends such as yourself he'll be in much better shape. Hope you all enjoy the vacation!

God bless you all,
-BB
 

kcfoxie

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
'12 6-spd JSW
That really is tragic. I pray that the kindness of strangers will be shown to this individual to help him rebuild all that has been lost.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Thanks KC.

Jeff's a great guy and would give anyone the shirt off his back. He's just started accepting the fact that people WANT to help and he needs to let them.
 

TDikook

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 15, 2003
Location
Biloxi, Ms
TDI
'06 Golf Anthracite Blue
That sucks man. I just saw this today, as I dont have much time to contribute anymore. Best wishes to your friend Jason. Moab? That is an Awesome place. I loved it when I went there to Mountain bike. and a beautiful drive in a Jeep. Hopefully you guys can clear your head as you have earned it. Good luck to both of you..
Eric B
 

kcfoxie

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
'12 6-spd JSW
Jason, why don't you start a paypal donation fund and raise awareness for it within his group. Surely someone he knows is on facebook, if he isn't himself. I'd give $20 when I'm paid Friday, no question.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
He told me that if anyone wanted to donate to give it to people that really need it like the Haiti victims.

He's well insured and is going to be OK.

Thanks though.


Eric,

We'll have to go out there with James when you get done with school, AGAIN!

BTW Jame lost like 50 lbs! He is looking positively ninja from sumo!
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
jasonTDI said:
He told me that if anyone wanted to donate to give it to people that really need it like the Haiti victims.
That's an amazing thing to say - what a class act.
 
Top