Unhoused Berkeley fire victim with Stage 4 cancer gets temporary home
EMERYVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- There's been a positive new development for an unhoused man whose van was destroyed in a Berkeley fire last month.
Ryan Six is undergoing treatment for Stage 4 cancer and now his oncology team has found him a temporary home.
Six showed ABC7 News the Airbnb in Emeryville where he and his three dogs are now staying after the fire damaged the van where they lived.
"I finally feel safe," Six said. "... It's very comfortable."
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He said the studio was gifted by Stanford for a month.
The fire on Heinz Ave and 7th Street last Wednesday destroyed an industrial building and left his van unlivable.
"We're on our fifth chemo," Six said. "We've done five chemos, one immunotherapy, and one round of radiation. We've been pretty busy, trying to fight this."
His support team at his oncologist's office at Stanford, including sarcoma specialist Dr. Kristen Ganjoo, started a GoFundMe for him and he said he's so grateful.
Jacqueline Solomon of Stanford Oncology has been instrumental in it.
"We just really wanted to help him especially because when you're getting chemotherapy and cancer treatments, it's really important to be in a clean environment so that nothing gets infected and you don't get sick," Solomon said. "Because the chemo can dull your immune system, stuff like that."
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The GoFundMe has raised nearly $7,000. He's hoping to use the money raised to help him buy a new van to live in.
Six said he has been living in a van for nearly a decade.
He didn't have insurance on the van so it's a total loss.
Despite everything, he's walking into the future with hope and positivity.
"I do yoga every day," Six said. "And I think yoga really keeps me positive, mentally and physically, keeps me in shape."
