“This is Brian Borba.
He works for Cal Fire.
Fate somehow made sure he was in line behind me at Peet’s Coffee this morning.
I had never met him before, but I started a conversation with him.
I explained how my family’s lives had been saved by a Cal Fire worker the night the Northern California wildfires started.
I continued to tell him the story of how it happened, and how close it was.
He asked me where.
He then asked me another question.
IT WAS HIM!
Out of all the people to run into, here stands the man responsible for saving my family’s lives.
He told me about how he was flagged down by a neighbor.
How he drove up the road to get to our house.
How he was afraid he wasn’t going to make it back out alive.
And how shocked he was when he pounded on the door and found that my family was actually still inside, still asleep and completely unaware of the fire that was surrounding them.
I owe this man more than I can say.
My daughter is still with me because of him.
I am in awe of his bravery despite his fear.
It’s because of the amazing heroes like him that so many people were saved.
Not everyone was so fortunate.
My heart hurts for those who were lost.
But what these men and women did for so many is nothing less than incredible!
What’s even more ironic than this chance encounter is that he was with the fire engine on scene in the Valley Fire that swept through Lake County in 2015.
This was the first fire my daughter was evacuated from.
The Tubbs Fire was her second!
He’s my daughter’s Guardian Angel.
This is Brian Borba.
I will forever be in your debt.
