PJ Fan Mariann Brady loses home to fire

KathyDTFT

Dear Pearl Jam fans:

A serious personal tragedy has recently affected someone very dear in the Pearl Jam fan community, and we're writing this to let everyone know.

All of us know that Pearl Jam is not just a band - for their fans, Pearl Jam is a way of life. And anyone who knows Mariann Brady or has benefited from her selfless generosity throughout the years, knows that Mariann is not just a "fan." For years, Mariann has selflessly and tirelessly served and helped the PJ community. Sharing music, extra tickets, posters, hotel rooms on the road, rides in the van … anything Mariann has, she shares. She is always "spreading the jam," and if you're reading this, chances are that sometime over the past 15 years, you've likely benefited from Mariann's wonderful generosity - maybe without even knowing it was from her.

Early Monday morning (Feb. 4), Mariann's home in Gaston, OR, U.S.A, was completely destroyed by a fire. She, her husband Jim and their dog Max got out of the house safely. However the fire spread quickly and they lost absolutely everything they owned. Moreover, Mariann, who is a devoutly passionate collector and lover of music, lost every poster, bootleg, T-shirt, DVD, CD, sticker and badge she possessed (ironically, one Stone Gossard badge survived intact!). Countless items that she had amassed over the years are now completely gone. Mementos of the music that buoys her everyday life went up in smoke.

In the grand scheme of things, we know it's just stuff, and that no life was lost. But we also know that all of you can understand what it must be like to have your belongings and 30 years of family history - along with the music that makes your life worth living and the momentos that make the memories come alive - destroyed before your eyes. It's painful and devastating. And almost unthinkable to recover from.

Pictures after the fire:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2198/2246194926_c5be494018.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2115/2246200676_635f7bacf4.jpg

As grateful recipients of Mariann's generosity over the years, we are appealing to her friends in the PJ community to help her get back some of what was lost. (And, please, if you also know her from Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen or other taping/trading communities as well, please forward this there!)

How can you help, you ask? Any way you want.

Here are some suggestions:

1) SEND STUFF. We're looking for duplicates of any Pearl Jam merch you may have floating around, especially posters, official fan club merch, official releases of CD's, stickers…those extra things you've got laying around that you thought you might give as a gift one day or use in a trade. Excavate your own personal archives and consider what you can part with that would help rebuild Mariann's lifetime-long love of music and her intense passion for all things Pearl Jam


SEND ITEMS TO: Brady Restoration Project
ATTN: MARIANN BRADY
40973 S.W. Burgarsky Road
Gaston, OR 97119
USA

2) SEND MONEY. Funds for a shopping spree at TenClub.com are most welcome. You can: PayPal them to crookedarm23@aol.com and they will be forwarded, or send a US Postal Service money order (made out to Mariann Brady) to: 40973 S.W. Burgarsky Road, Gaston, OR 97119

Please e-mail BradyProject@aol.com to let us know what you're sending so we can make sure everything gets to Mariann.

Any questions, comments or suggestions are welcome there, too.

3) BOOST HER SPIRITS We've created a MySpace page for you to post comments about donations, send cheery comments and connect.

http://www.myspace.com/bradyproject

Thank you all in advance for your generosity,kindness and good wishes. Mariann would never ask anyone to do what we're trying to do for her - and that's exactly why we feel compelled to do it!


Take care, be safe and enjoy life!

Love,

Kathy Davis, Brian T. Smith, Bruce Wagman and the many Friends of Mariann Brady

elwayvedder

MODS- Sticky this please?!

pjtradeking

KathyDTFT wrote:

Dear Pearl Jam fans:

A serious personal tragedy has recently affected someone very dear in the Pearl Jam fan community, and we're writing this to let everyone know.

All of us know that Pearl Jam is not just a band - for their fans, Pearl Jam is a way of life. And anyone who knows Mariann Brady or has benefited from her selfless generosity throughout the years, knows that Mariann is not just a "fan." For years, Mariann has selflessly and tirelessly served and helped the PJ community. Sharing music, extra tickets, posters, hotel rooms on the road, rides in the van … anything Mariann has, she shares. She is always "spreading the jam," and if you're reading this, chances are that sometime over the past 15 years, you've likely benefited from Mariann's wonderful generosity - maybe without even knowing it was from her.

Early Monday morning (Feb. 4), Mariann's home in Gaston, OR, U.S.A, was completely destroyed by a fire. She, her husband Jim and their dog Max got out of the house safely. However the fire spread quickly and they lost absolutely everything they owned. Moreover, Mariann, who is a devoutly passionate collector and lover of music, lost every poster, bootleg, T-shirt, DVD, CD, sticker and badge she possessed (ironically, one Stone Gossard badge survived intact!). Countless items that she had amassed over the years are now completely gone. Mementos of the music that buoys her everyday life went up in smoke.

In the grand scheme of things, we know it's just stuff, and that no life was lost. But we also know that all of you can understand what it must be like to have your belongings and 30 years of family history - along with the music that makes your life worth living and the momentos that make the memories come alive - destroyed before your eyes. It's painful and devastating. And almost unthinkable to recover from.

Pictures after the fire:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2198/2246194926_c5be494018.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2115/2246200676_635f7bacf4.jpg

As grateful recipients of Mariann's generosity over the years, we are appealing to her friends in the PJ community to help her get back some of what was lost. (And, please, if you also know her from Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen or other taping/trading communities as well, please forward this there!)

How can you help, you ask? Any way you want.

Here are some suggestions:

1) SEND STUFF. We're looking for duplicates of any Pearl Jam merch you may have floating around, especially posters, official fan club merch, official releases of CD's, stickers…those extra things you've got laying around that you thought you might give as a gift one day or use in a trade. Excavate your own personal archives and consider what you can part with that would help rebuild Mariann's lifetime-long love of music and her intense passion for all things Pearl Jam


SEND ITEMS TO: Brady Restoration Project
ATTN: MARIANN BRADY
40973 S.W. Burgarsky Road
Gaston, OR 97119
USA

2) SEND MONEY. Funds for a shopping spree at TenClub.com are most welcome. You can: PayPal them to crookedarm23@aol.com and they will be forwarded, or send a US Postal Service money order (made out to Mariann Brady) to: 40973 S.W. Burgarsky Road, Gaston, OR 97119

Please e-mail BradyProject@aol.com to let us know what you're sending so we can make sure everything gets to Mariann.

Any questions, comments or suggestions are welcome there, too.

3) BOOST HER SPIRITS We've created a MySpace page for you to post comments about donations, send cheery comments and connect.

http://www.myspace.com/bradyproject

Thank you all in advance for your generosity,kindness and good wishes. Mariann would never ask anyone to do what we're trying to do for her - and that's exactly why we feel compelled to do it!


Take care, be safe and enjoy life!

Love,

Kathy Davis, Brian T. Smith, Bruce Wagman and the many Friends of Mariann Brady

Kathy,

I spoke with Doris and Lynn last night and they told me what happened!! I didnt sleep at all after hearing this....I was going to call her, but I know she has alot on her plate right now. Please tell her that we are thinking of her and Jim and the kids and are sending good vibes her way.. I have 3-4 posters I am going to send as well as a some $$....Please let me know if there is anything I can do from Spokane to help...I will get this to Bruce as well as I dont think I have your email. Please keep me posted. Lynn, Bruce and Doris all know how to reach me. Dont want to flood you with a bunch of info here.

Be Sound....scottie in spokane!!!

demetrios

:(

I was just thinking about her. She's helped me out for many year's. I've alway's thanked her from the bottom of my heart.

I'm gonna help out. Pearl Jam DVD's, CD's, SHN/FLAC's or go Paypal.

I also posted this over at the Red Mosquito Board.

http://theskyiscrape.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=5

DiRtYyELLoWoCeAn

pjtradeking wrote:

Kathy,

I spoke with Doris and Lynn last night and they told me what happened!! I didnt sleep at all after hearing this....I was going to call her, but I know she has alot on her plate right now. Please tell her that we are thinking of her and Jim and the kids and are sending good vibes her way.. I have 3-4 posters I am going to send as well as a some $$....Please let me know if there is anything I can do from Spokane to help...I will get this to Bruce as well as I dont think I have your email. Please keep me posted. Lynn, Bruce and Doris all know how to reach me. Dont want to flood you with a bunch of info here.

Be Sound....scottie in spokane!!!

Very cool of you King I think I'm gonna follow suit!

Foxy Mop

How tragic.. thank god her family is alive and safe :(

We'll post this at Wishlist too...

PureandEasy

How is it that I've been on these PJ boards for over 8 years and don't know who this person is? I'm not into the trading thing, so maybe that's it.

But, I'm always willing to help someone in need. I've got some vinyl holiday singles that have never been played, and they're just sitting in my closet, I'd be more than happy to send them out to her.

I hope this small gesture helps and encourages others to do something as well.

Best wishes to her and her family.

Super Vedder

edit* i just thought, perhaps everything that was wrecked is insured and can be replaced a lot more easily (beside the PJ stuff of course), including getting a new house?
Doh, its amazing what i can do when i stop and think for a minute!

sorry if my previous post before the big edit sounded inappropriate in a grave time like this, no offence meant whatsoever but deleted incase it was taken the wrong way or upset anybody!

pjtradeking

PureandEasy wrote:

How is it that I've been on these PJ boards for over 8 years and don't know who this person is? I'm not into the trading thing, so maybe that's it.

But, I'm always willing to help someone in need. I've got some vinyl holiday singles that have never been played, and they're just sitting in my closet, I'd be more than happy to send them out to her.

I hope this small gesture helps and encourages others to do something as well.

Best wishes to her and her family.

She is not really a board type of gal....Just a VERY generous person and HUUUUGE PJ fan that would give you the clothes off her back if you asked or needed them. I have been to many a show with her and am going to do anything I possibly can to help her and Jim out....It sucks for this to happen to ANYONE let alone someone you are close to...I am sick to my stomach thinking what she and Jim are going through. I know they will get through, but shit like this isnt suppose to happen to good people....cliche, I know, but that is how I feel.

She has and always will be a very important part of the PJ community, and if you only knew what she had contributed to ALL OF US in many different capacities, you would be amazed....

I hope anyone who can, will help whether it is in the form of $$, PJ items or a simple good vibe...It will really mean alot and I know it will be appreciated!!

scott

Lone Wolf

Damn that is tragic :(
Thankfully she and her family got out safe.

Come this weekend I´ll see what I can send....

Take Care

PureandEasy

pjtradeking wrote:

She is not really a board type of gal....Just a VERY generous person and HUUUUGE PJ fan that would give you the clothes off her back if you asked or needed them. I have been to many a show with her and am going to do anything I possibly can to help her and Jim out....It sucks for this to happen to ANYONE let alone someone you are close to...I am sick to my stomach thinking what she and Jim are going through. I know they will get through, but shit like this isnt suppose to happen to good people....cliche, I know, but that is how I feel.

She has and always will be a very important part of the PJ community, and if you only knew what she had contributed to ALL OF US in many different capacities, you would be amazed....

I hope anyone who can, will help whether it is in the form of $$, PJ items or a simple good vibe...It will really mean alot and I know it will be appreciated!!

scott

Well, like I said, I don't have to know her to want to help, and I hope that many feel the same way. I used to know someone who was the same way, he would do anything for anyone. Sadly he passed away a little over a year ago, I would like to help this family out in memory of him. RIP uconndave. I know he would have done anything to help.

Get_Right

I am sorry if this is true.

Insurance should cover it all.

Let this be a reminder to all:

Make a list of your valuables and the approximate worth (overestimate) and get a written statement its all covered under your homeowners or renters insurance policy.

I have a rider that covers my vinyl, cd and poster collections. So should you.

pjtradeking

PureandEasy wrote:

Well, like I said, I don't have to know her to want to help, and I hope that many feel the same way. I used to know someone who was the same way, he would do anything for anyone. Sadly he passed away a little over a year ago, I would like to help this family out in memory of him. RIP uconndave. I know he would have done anything to help.

I knew dave as well...You are right...You dont have to know to want to help, and that is a GREAT thing...:)

pjtradeking

Bump...

||Release_Me||

We're gathering some stuff now and we'll send it sometime in the next week or so. It's sad that this happened :(

ECM

Kathy....

Sad that this happened.. one of my worse fears..

Though I'm not clear on why she needs $$$ if she is insured? Maybe clarify for any skeptics.

However, all the PJ stuff is a bitch to replace (even with cash)..... so if you have excess PJ stuff around, I think she would be more than welcome to embrace it.

pjtradeking

Evil Closet Monkey wrote:

Kathy....

Sad that this happened.. one of my worse fears..

Though I'm not clear on why she needs $$$ if she is insured? Maybe clarify for any skeptics.

However, all the PJ stuff is a bitch to replace (even with cash)..... so if you have excess PJ stuff around, I think she would be more than welcome to embrace it.

I would think that any $$ donated would go to replacing clothes, shoes etc and just getting back on their feet. I am sure that not 100% of everything is covered by insurance and it does have limits as well. Just a guess.

patrickredeyes

Very sad to hear the news. :(


I'm getting ready to move so I've been going threw my stuff. I will gladly donate and send some PJ items. Doubles of stickers and even a couple posters I could part with. Anything to help out.

pjtradeking

patrickredeyes wrote:

Very sad to hear the news. :(


I'm getting ready to move so I've been going threw my stuff. I will gladly donate and send some PJ items. Doubles of stickers and even a couple posters I could part with. Anything to help out.

That is AWESOME!!

Figure I would pass along a Dallas 98, a Pink Borgata and a WPB 98 and a little $$...

If you do send a poster, put what you will send... this way we wont double up on anything...:)

pjtradeking

"take me to the top to the top and roll me over"

..:D

Blredyellow

Every little bit helps. This is about as real as a tragedy can get without death.

Some things are insured (house/car); a lot of things aren't (memorabilia, family-related possessions). And most of the things they lost are borderline irreplaceable.

They are doing better, but please help if you can. We really appreciate it and I know Mariann and her family do as well.

THANK YOU!

patrickredeyes

pjtradeking wrote:

That is AWESOME!!

Figure I would pass along a Dallas 98, a Pink Borgata and a WPB 98 and a little $$...

If you do send a poster, put what you will send... this way we wont double up on anything...:)

I don't have much but it's something and thats better then nothing.

I will let you know for sure. By this weekend I hope to get what I have out.

Blredyellow

Evil Closet:


"Though I'm not clear on why she needs $$$ if she is insured?"

Insurance doesn't cover everything. It'll barely cover the costs of them rebuilding their home.

pjtradeking

patrickredeyes wrote:

I don't have much but it's something and thats better then nothing.

I will let you know for sure. By this weekend I hope to get what I have out.

Doesnt matter what it is...It is ALL appreciated!! The fact that you are willing is the coolest thing!!

Just found out that another kind soul is going to be sending me a 500 gig hard drive, so I will be putting at least every show from 2000 to now on it and sending her that as well!!

Westernsky

So sad to hear about the fire, though its good to hear everyone is ok and doing well.

I will look around and see what old stuff I can find to make copies of and look for any extras (stickers & shirts). I'll get a little package out soon.

I have a fuzzy memories these days, but I think we met many tours ago and she was nice enough to share some much welcomed water on a very hot day.

einatshaul

I'm sorry to hear about this and glad no lives were harmed, that's whats most important. Secondly, I could send over IIC (plus shirt) and ITTW if no one beat me to it, can have someone bring'em over to me from my house in Israel in April.

THis is just part of lifes trials.

albawild

Mariann has done more for the PJ community than anyone can imagine.

As for insurance, if they will cover items like posters, it is for the purchase price ($20), not for the Ebay price she needs to pay to replace them.

Blredyellow

albawild: great point. that's what we trying to get across in the original message to people.

thanks to everyone for helping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blredyellow

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/02/gaston_home_burns_when_nearest.html

patrickredeyes

Can we get a sticky for this thread please.

Blredyellow

agreed.

sticky please.

thank you!