Fire Takes Collection-Maybe Ali Global Card Review book project too

[Box-Cards]

A sad note to those who'd viewed my previous posts, card image offerings, or took interest in the "Ali Global Collectible Card Review" book publication project I was in the middle of authoring:

At 10:30 PM on Monday, July 8th, a fire determined to be of electrical origins erupted in my home's Second Floor tucked away, boxing-collectibles/card-collection/library and computer workstation room in our 1929 circa house. I had previously been working some 5-7 straight hours up there on the Ali Global Review, breaking for supper around 7:30 PM, and my wife, son and I were downstairs at that time.

At around 3:00 AM the firefighters finished their work and my wife and I were escorted back in allowed to retrieve anything immediately needed before the structure was to be boarded up as unlivable due to extensive water/smoke damage throughout from the attic all the way down to the basement. My wife followed our escort into the first floor--I took a quick side trip up the stairs to my second floor computer/collectibles room where the fire started, aware there were a couple of firemen still making sure nothing was still smouldering. Everything that once was in that room was completely destroyed: $6-8 Gs of computer workstation equipment; possibly $150-200 Gs of my long standing, extensive boxing card collections and other type boxing collectibles; everything connected to over 2-1/2 decades of serious international research connected with global boxing card productions especially the Ali Global Review project...and my last 2 plus years of formal work invested into authoring the Clay/Ali Card Review book itself.

I had put together and been using multiple computers among numerious other graphic support equipment while working on the Ali Global Review, backing up progress on external hard drives that, unfortunately, were located in the same room that burned; 4 bookcases filled with nothing but card binders went up along with everything additionally stored along one entire wall with fitted floor to ceiling floor with 18" deep shelves stuffed with cardboard, 500-count, card-boxes completely filled with more boxing cards and sets. My entire, personal Ali-card collection had been out and open on a work desk next to my primary Mac G5 computer. The desk itself reduced to ashes, let alone the collection that had been on it. There's more I could list here that was stored elsewhere in the room, including an extensive collection of uncut boxing card sheets, but I'll leave it at this for here and now.

Saddest part, I then learned from my wife that nothing of those sorts in the room had been added to our home insurance's schedules where I always thought it all had been covered (my wife had worked at MET Insurence Company's Home Office as a Methods & Procedures Specialist for over 30 years, which company handled all our insurances; thus she was the one in our family who always handled those type insurance matters...and she had never added my collections to our schedule.)

Thankfully, other then my own personal room's property losses, we were extremeldy well covered. The house is to be cutted and rebuilt from roof to finished basement all brand new with all its other lost contents replaced.

As for where I now stand regarding anything once in that room, there is one long-shot chance I might be able to recover the data that was on the 3-internal hard drives of my primary computer tower, including my past research and prior book work related to the Ali Global Review project...but I'm not counting on it. The external housing of my main Mac G5 computer was made entirely of heavy gauge metal, not of plastic components. Scorched on its outsides, its insides weren't directly exposed to the actual fire but just to its heat. Once the dust from the event settles a bit more, I will be searching for some expert computer "forensic" specialist to see if any data stored on its 3-internal hard drives can be extracted--my only hope in recovering anything. If that proves successful, the Ali Global Card Review project and all its research are in there and I will be devoting all my attentions and passions to seeing that project's finished publication sees the light of day. If it isn't there any more and was destroyed, I don't believe I'll be starting that project over again from scratch, having to find some new passion elsewhere.

Don't worry, though, even if its not--someone, somewhere and at some future time will likely take that same project to heart and bring it to the hobby. More importantly, I took some smoke and spent a day in the hospital recovering but neither my wife, son, nor our house pets were hurt or ever in any danger. That's what really counts after all is said and done...

[GoldenAge50s]

Dan--

What a terrible tragedy! As a fellow collector & neighbor just up the road in Cumberland, it hits home w/ more force than you can believe!

Thank God your family came thru it w/out injury, but I can only begin to understand what the loss of your possessions/collection must feel like.

You sound like a strong person in dealing w/ it & I wish you the best in moving forward.

[Jerry G]

Daniel, I am so sorry to hear this. I can only imagine how this tragedy impacts your family, home, collection and your passionate research. My hope is for a speedy and complete recovery from your inhalation. Prayers for you and your family.

[Leon]

Daniel- Very sorry to hear this. I am going to also copy this to the front page as it is warranted. Keep the hope up on retrieving the data. It could be possible and isn't that far fetched. Prayers to you and your family. Thank God no life was lost or seriously hurt.

[oldcardboard]

Daniel, very sorry to read this. I am glad you and yours are ok.

[jimivintage]

All I can say, I guess, is that sucks! You seem to be doing well, and it's great to hear that your family is, too. I pray that you find a quick path back into the hobby. Best of luck to you.

Jimi

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Thank goodness your family was alright. My condolences on the collection. I think you may be able to recover the data from that hard drive. I worked as a prosecutor and we were able to recover data from damn near anything.

[abothebear]

I'm sorry. That is heartbreaking. I'm glad you and your family are okay.

[byrone]

Very sorry this happened to you. A collector's (and author's) nightmare.

Glad that everyone is OK.

[packs]

Glad you are ok. I'm a writer too and one trick I've picked up is e-mailing myself all my files as I make changes to them. This is my biggest nightmare re:losing all my work.

[Exhibitman]

I cannot imagine a worse outcome absent physical injury to anyone in the home. I am so sorry for your loss.

[Tao_Moko]

Daniel,

Please PM the address you are receiving mail and I will donate one of my prewar boxing cards to you in hopes that you'll be able to rebuild some of what you lost.

[Exhibitman]

FWIW, these guys did a good job for me on a case involving computer data issues:

www.SetecInvestigations.com

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Tao_Moko

Daniel,

Please PM the address you are receiving mail and I will donate one of my prewar boxing cards to you in hopes that you'll be able to rebuild some of what you lost.

Ditto

[steve B]

I'm glad to hear you're all ok. Sad to lose a collection, but the people are what matters.


The drives may be salvageable, it's amazing what a pro data recovery place can do. The good ones aren't cheap, but compared to reconstructing years of work they're not bad.
A bike list I'm on had a member who ran a server and hosted photos for nearly everyone. The whole thing went down in a hard drive crash and he hadn't done proper backups. We all chipped in and the data recovery place got back nearly everything. Maybe 1% lost, unfortunately including the index.

I'd say get a few quotes, (even on other media if it survived at all.) If it looks likely, maybe someone could put together a similar donation to cover the data recovery.

I only have a handful of boxing extras, you're welcome to them when you're ready. I'm sure you've got a long bit of rebuilding to do on the house.

Steve B

[deadballfreaK]

I don't know what I can add, Dan. I feel bad for you. If I could help in any way I would. I know I could be in the same situation. I live an old house that is probably a firetrap and most of my collection is uninsured. Time for me to explore some options like a "fireproof" safe. I kept most of my collection in a bank vault for a time, but what fun is that? Might as well sell it if you can't even look at it when you want.

[T206Collector]

Your ability to write about the tragedy so vividly bespeaks a man of incredible strength with a sound foundation in what really matters - the health of you and your family. You will rebound from this. Not a doubt in my mind.

[MooseDog]

Oh man. Very sorry for your losses.

These guys can do amazing things to get data off of hard drives, I have no affiliation except as a very satisfied two-time customer:

www.gillware.com

[the 'stache]

Daniel, I'm saddened to hear about this. I can't even begin to imagine how you feel losing a collection that you've built over decades, not to mention all the work and research that cannot be replaced. I pray that these forensic computer experts are able to extract some of the data you'd stored.

Most important of all, though, is that your family and your pets are all okay. Thank God for that. I hope the new home that they build you keeps you and your family safe for many years.

[Rickyy]

Wow sad to read this as well...but, I'm so glad to hear the most important part of your life was safe.....


Ricky Y

[rainier2004]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Your ability to write about the tragedy so vividly bespeaks a man of incredible strength with a sound foundation in what really matters - the health of you and your family. You will rebound from this. Not a doubt in my mind.

Well said. Every collectors nightmare for sure, good thing its not every husband/fathers worst nightmare. I hope everything works out as well as possible moving forward, your strength is very obvious.

[slidekellyslide]

I had not heard of your project, but am saddened about what has happened to you. Thank God you and your family are alright...I hope that you are able to recover all of the data for your book.

[YogiBerraFan]

Wow, that is just awful. I am glad you and your family are OK.