Former Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun has been evacuated from his home in California for most of the past six weeks due to… Los Angeles wildfires.
Brown, 41, spoke of his appreciation for firefighters as they continue to try to keep people and buildings safe.
“Firefighters and first responders are truly heroes.” Brown told Fox News Digital on Saturday. “I don't think we get a chance to thank them very often. But these guys put their lives on the line. They worked day and night. I know a number of firefighters who literally didn't sleep for 72 hours.”
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Former Milwaukee Brewers player Ryan Braun waves to fans during a ceremony announcing his retirement from baseball before a game against the New York Mets at American Family Field. (Penny Siu/USA Today Sports)
“These guys are doing everything they can to save as many people and structures as possible. I'm so grateful for everything they've done for the community, and today is an opportunity to try to thank as many of them as possible.”
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Brown, along with World Series champion Mike Moustakas, Detroit Lions Outfielder Jared Goff, Brewers star Christian Yelich and Mike Attanasio of Brewers ownership created California Strong to help communities affected by the disaster.
California Strong is a YMCA program dedicated to providing support to all Californians after disasters.
Yelish spoke About the California community continuing to support each other in times of need.
“The community seems to step up every time there are people in need. I remember the Woolsey fire was about seven years ago, and it seems like it's over, but it's a long recovery process. You know, it's not a one-day thing,” Yelich told Fox News Digital. A week or even a year.
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The Sunset Fire burns in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles on January 8, 2025. (Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It's a years-long process, and just to help people get back on their feet here at the beginning, we hope we can stay with them throughout the process and get back to normal whenever possible.”
Moustakas talked about how Team California Strong grew out of Brown, Willich, Goff and Attanasio reaching out to each other during tough times.
“It started with us checking in on each other and then quickly turned into trying to use our platforms to help those in need. And that's been one of the greatest things we've been able to do in baseball is use the platform in the path to good,” Moustakas told Fox News Digital.
“We were very fortunate to have a YMCA partner with us, and it just took off from there. And we're here today supporting a ton of families with a great community. We're so excited to help these people.”
Brown talked about how long and hard it will take for people to rebuild and how California Strong wants to help those people.
“We live in this community. We grew up in this community. We can relate to people and what they're going through and dealing with. Like with Mike (Moustras), I have three young kids, so I'm always seeing those. It's tough from the perspective of other parents.” “It's a long and arduous process for a lot of people to think about where they can start rebuilding their lives and it was to support people after natural disasters and tragedies,” Brown said.
“That's what we've tried to do for the last seven years. That's what today is about. The goal is to be able to support people in the near term, right away today and then in the long term as they go through what ends up being the end of it. It's a long and challenging process of rebuilding.” “Their lives.”
California Strong is working with Proactive Sports to help get Californians back on their feet.
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Burning residential areas as wildfires continue to wreak havoc, reaching their fifth day and causing extensive damage to residential areas in Los Angeles on January 12, 2025. (Lukman Vural Ilibul/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Proactive Sports has partnered with California Strong from the beginning,” Proactive Sports owner Emily Capretta told Fox News Digital. “We hosted an event for those impacted by the Woolsey Fire and Borderline shootings, unfortunately, that we experienced in our community in 2018.
“And a smart, strong group of women that we mobilized to do a community Thanksgiving, and that kind of kicked off the beginning of California Strong,”
“At this particular event, the night those who had lost their homes were displaced, I texted the original group of women that they wanted to do this again with me. Then I also texted Ryan Brown, and said, ‘It's time we need To be the first point of action for those affected.
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