John Mayer is being praised for explaining why losing his memorabilia in the LA fire was such a huge loss for everyone. John said he was “incredibly lucky” to have…

Fires continue to engulf significant portions of Los Angeles County as of Friday afternoon. According to the Associated Press, over 10,000 structures have burned.

Building engulfed in flames behind palm trees, emitting thick smoke into the sky

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Among the structures damaged or lost entirely in the blazes are many homes and, with them, numerous personal items.

Burned and destroyed buildings with charred trees and debris along an empty street after a wildfire

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The gravity of losing mementos was not lost on John Mayer, who took to Instagram on Thursday to share an eloquent statement about the importance keepsakes play in our lives.

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John, who made it clear that he and his Los Angeles home are safe from the fires, shared a photo of a folder. The folder, he said, held pictures that he has collected of his father. John shared in October 2023 that his dad was celebrating his 96th birthday that year.

Translucent parchment covers a dark rectangular object on a wooden table

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“This is the most valuable thing I own,” he wrote, noting the photos spanned his father’s life from infancy to adulthood. “It’s the only evidence of his life that will exist over time.”

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He then turned his attention to the fires and the items people lost in them. “These are the ‘documents’ you read about people taking from their homes,” he wrote. “When you hear someone say they’ve lost everything in a fire, this is much of that everything, if not all of it. Those who say they’ll be okay still have their folders and their albums. Those who are inconsolable have lost them.”

A large house engulfed in flames at night, with bright fire illuminating the building and surrounding area

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“Just behind the immeasurable loss of life is the loss of the proof of life,” he continued.

Firefighter battling a large house fire at night, spraying water onto the flames engulfing the structure and a nearby car

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The singer noted he does not pray but would do so that evening for people who’ve lost their beloved keepsakes. He said that losing one’s home isn’t about “art” or “collectibles” that have been destroyed. It’s about the personal items that connect us to the things and people we love.

House and car destroyed by a wildfire; debris and smoke fill the scene, with trees in the background

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“It’s the photos, the letters, the class rings, the eyeglasses and the things we keep to remind us that those we loved were here,” he wrote. “May those who have lost so much find some semblance of hope and support from their family and friends.”

People hugging on a smoky street, others standing in the background, possibly after a disaster or emergency

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John ended his post by encouraging people to safeguard one another.

A helicopter drops water on a hillside wildfire at night, with a cityscape visible in the distance

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“Stay safe, look out for yourself and for one another, and trust that humanity and all it entails, though sometimes hard to see, is alive and well. This is truly devastating,” he said.

Instagram post by a public figure sharing a meaningful message about the emotional impact of losing personal belongings in a fire

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People profusely praised his sentiment in the comments, including Kelly Rizzo, Bob Saget’s widow.

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She thanked him for “putting this into perspective” and noted that mementos were some of the first things she packed in her evacuation kit, including “Bob’s glasses, a lot of his clothes and personal effects that I know are completely irreplaceable.”

Comment appreciating a message's beauty and truth, mentioning eyeglasses and personal effects' sentimental value, with thanks for offering perspective

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Andy Cohen, a close friend of John’s, also commented. “Beautifully said. we are all with a lump in our heart for friends and strangers dealing with immeasurable loss,” he wrote.

Comment from user "bravoandy": "Beautifully said. We are all with a lump in our heart for friends and strangers dealing with immeasurable loss."

@bravoandy/Instagram / Via instagram.com

Questlove noted his mom’s side of his family lost their “entire history.” He encourages people to “grab the mementos” because “that feeling of incompleteness occasionally shows its head.”

A user comments about losing family history, urging others to preserve mementos and expressing relief that some memories can still be held onto

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Singer JP Saxe praised John’s post as a “beautiful sentiment and stunningly written.”

Comment from verified user jpsaxe: "beautiful sentiment and stunningly written." Posted 21 hours ago with 368 likes

@jpsaxe/Instagram / Via instagram.com

Finally, singer Paul Klein, a member of the band LANY, said he grabbed a guitar John gave him when packing up. “I had 3 minutes to get out last night. i grabbed my safe and the guitar u gave me 😭,” he wrote.

Screenshot of a social media comment by pauljasonklein: "I had 3 minutes to get out last night. I grabbed my safe and the guitar u gave me" with a crying emoji

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