Residents Unite in Generosity to Give Back

Since 2014, Luis Guevara and Bill Meyer have been operating a charitable initiative known as “Cruising and Blessing,” aimed at assisting families in Verde Valley during the Christmas season. The program took shape when they were part of the now-defunct car club Classic Treasures, along with cofounder Ruben Machado.

On Saturday, December 21, they presented gifts to Sydney and Dylan Aker and their three children—Mason, Rowan, and Adaline—at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood. This heartwarming event followed a devastating fire that left the Aker family homeless after losing everything on May 22 in Globe.

Guevara discovered the Aker family following a post by Sydney in a local social media group, where she sought free Christmas decorations. “It’s been rough,” Sydney shared, emphasizing the emotional toll the incident has taken on the family. “Some days are harder than others. Our kids have been resilient and strong. We’ve been humbled by this experience.”

The fire was first detected by one of their dogs, which alerted them to the danger. “I opened the door and there was fire everywhere,” Aker recounted, describing the traumatic moment. He managed to get the children out safely, although their belongings were lost in the catastrophe.

Relocating to the Verde Valley in mid-June, Dylan, a handyman, began accepting various moving and maintenance jobs. However, they faced challenges after losing all his tools in the fire. “We blessed him with tools from a friend,” Guevara noted, highlighting the community’s support.

“It was a total loss,” Aker explained, recalling that the family escaped without even shoes on their feet. After a brief stay in a hotel, they moved into an older camper they received through a Facebook Marketplace donation, allowing them to start rebuilding their lives.

The Akers moved from Indiana to Arizona in 2018, where their love story began with a chance encounter over a dead car battery. “We quickly hit it off and have been inseparable,” Sydney said, reflecting on their bond.

Currently, the family faces the challenge of finding a more permanent living situation. They are boondocking near Bill Grey Road but are in need of a site with full hookups for their camper and sufficient water supply.

“Every year we do this, we receive a bigger blessing at the end,” Guevara remarked. “The amount we spend on a family never equals how we feel afterward.”

Sydney expressed gratitude for the community’s kindness, urging others in need to reach out. “If I hadn’t made that post looking for decorations, we would have never met these people,” she said, emphasizing the generosity she and her family have experienced.

Those interested in assisting the Aker family can contact Sydney Aker at (928) 324-9555.