QUINCY – The Quincy community has turned its attention and support towards one of their own, Jack Kling, whose son Mitch and daughter-in-law Malerie tragically lost their home in the recent Eaton Canyon Fire in Altadena, California. Kling is also the brother of Jim Kling, a former Grant County Fire Marshal. Jim and Jack both graduated from Quincy High School.
Mitchell Kling, a 36-year-old physical therapist, and his wife Malerie, who is an animator for Disney Animation Studio, had only recently celebrated their new life together in a home they bought last May. The young couple, thinking they would be able to return soon, fled their home late at night on January 8th, taking their pets and some crucial documents under the ominous shadow of 70 mph winds. The next day, devastating news was delivered through a friend’s text showing that their home had been completely destroyed.
Jack Kling, a volunteer firefighter for Grant County Fire District 3 at station 36 in Sunland Estates, shared his son’s struggles with insurance coverage following disasters, which has resonated deeply within the Quincy community. Despite having insurance, the Klings suspect they’ve been tentatively denied FEMA aid, although they plan to appeal the decision and the situation is still developing. It’s believed that the insurance paid out to the Klings would only cover a fraction of the worth of their home, which is why FEMA coverage was requested.
The disaster has stirred the Quincy community to rally support for Mitch and Malerie, emphasizing the familial and community bonds that extend beyond state lines…