A 70-year-old fire victim killed himself in the midst of what was left of his home. [Courtesy of Pixabay]
Santa Rosa, California - It has been nearly a month since one of the deadliest fire in the history of California swept the wine country and other counties in Northern California. The fire took 43 lives and injured over 180 people. It destroyed approximately 8,900 buildings.
Many people and businesses lost their livelihoods, families, and friends. A few videos emerged showing the ruins of residential areas, parks, and businesses. Some expressed their gratitude for having their lives saved and others said they felt so lost because they had to basically start from ground zero.
Greg Mlynarczyk [Courtesy of Greg Mlynarczyk / Santa Rosa Dentistry]
A 70-year-old Santa Rosa dentist, Greg Mlynarczyk, must have felt devastated when he saw his home in Fountaingrove neighborhood decimated by the fire. He fatally shot himself in the midst of what is left of his home.
Dr. Mlynarczyk was a well-known and respected dentist in the area and was the founding member of Santa Rosa Dentistry.
The authorities said the dentist's wife and an insurance adjuster found his body on Saturday.
Upon learning the sad news, his office and partnering dentists, Laura Ellefson and Kasia Marelich, wrote about the news on the website, notifying their clients of Dr. Mlynarczyk's passing.
"A few days ago we were given news of the sudden passing away of our colleague and friend Dr. Greg Mlynarczyk. We are all deeply saddened by this news", and it continued, "At this time our hope is to provide as much comfort and privacy as possible for Dr. Greg's family and friends, as well as for our office family. Dr. Greg's sense of humor, kindness, and humanity will be greatly missed, but we will honor his memory by carrying on his tradition of excellence."
Dr. Mlynarczyk was originally from Las Vegas. He studied at the University of Oregon and the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. He was an avid horseman and was a member of Wild Oak Saddle Club with his wife.
Kwak, Min Jung = abiel@ajunews.com
