Lady Gaga fled. So did Miley Cyrus, Neil Young and Robin Thicke. But I’m not worried about their fate from the devastating Woolsey Fire that razed parts of Malibu. I’m stunned how masters royalty has been victimized.
Peter Hlavin (right) has launched a fund-raising drive for his fellow world champ.
“Annelies is safe, having evacuated with car, computer, some clothes, a few of her personal paintings and — high jump shoes,” Peter writes. “For the past 18 years, she had been renting the first floor of a modest home in the foothill canyon area of Malibu. She did not have renters insurance. One of her massage therapy practice clients (husband/wife family) is helping with temporary accommodations.”
Peter says he reached out to his greater high jump community last weekend to get the ball rolling on a support fund campaign for Annelies. He got $3,300 in verbal commitments within 48 hours, all from high jumpers. The goal is $10,000. See below for additional details.
“Annelies lost her high jump crossbar in the blaze,” Peter adds. “At the [Southern California] Striders banquet this past weekend, I presented Annelies my three-piece Gill high jump bar as a replacement bar. She loved it.”
I’ve known Annelies for many years. She was a protégé of the late, great Nick Newton and a perennial national-record setter for her native Netherlands. She’s fierce on the HJ apron (don’t you DARE move her mark!) but super warm and friendly off the field.
Please join me in making a donation to the Annelies Steekelenburg support fund.
Contribute to support independent track and field journalism:
What a sad news Annelies. Difficult to accept, I think, but you are a strong person.
Just saw Annelies interviewed on the KTLA Morning News 5 in Los Angeles by Eric Stillman. She was upbeat, and when Stillman asked her if she would come back to Malibu, after losing so much, she said with strength in her voice, “Of course I’ll be back”.
God bless her.