The devastation in Oklahoma hit close to home for a San Diego blogger whose sister and niece lost their home.
North Park blogger Sean Sala is a nationally-recognized gay rights activist.
He's turning that advocate energy in the direction of another cause close to his heart, his family.
Sala found out about Monday’s destructive tornado in Moore, Okla. the same way most of us did, by watching the news coverage.
His sister and niece live in the area and escaped with their lives but little else.
“She's a single mother she's raising a daughter so she needs help,” Sala said.
Heather Sala and her teenage daughter MacKenzie weren't at home at the time the tornado crashed through their neighborhood.
Now they have no home.
“Her house was destroyed – totally. Her roof was off. Her dog was pinned up against the wall in a crate,” Sala said.
Sala's brother said Heather saw what was left just Tuesday.
While she is a strong person, there was this very sad moment on the phone after he asked what she needed.
“She said clothes and then she sat there and said ‘Well, I don't have a house to send anything to,’” Sala said.
“I could tell that it's hit her but not really hit her,” Sala said.
Sala is asking his followers to donate. If not to his sister, he wants others to donate to the Red Cross. He’ll accept relief donations on his sister’s behalf over the next two weeks.
“I had one person give $10 and they said ‘I am sorry I can't give that much,’” Sala said.
Heather and her daughter are staying with nearby relatives for now.
Sean's sister in Dallas is collecting household items and clothes to deliver personally.