GoFundMe Launched for Original Despised Icon Guitarist Following House Fire
Tragedy struck a figure in the Canadian deathcore scene, as members of Montreal’s Despised Icon are asking their friends and fans to help original guitarist and producer Yannick St-Amand and his family recover from a devastating house fire by donating to a GoFundMe page.
According to an account shared on the fundraising page, the fire broke out overnight on March 20 and into March 21. Though they lost everything in the blaze, including St-Amand’s studio, everyone in the family was safely accounted for, which is a massive silver lining in this type of scenario.
Since the GoFundMe page is in French, we used Google Translate so we can let the fundraiser’s organizers explain the situation in an almost beautiful way:
“On the night of March 20 to 21, in a tragic instant, flames ravaged the home of the Beaudoin St-Amand family, destroying their little corner of paradise. The voracious fire devoured their home, consuming not only the walls that sheltered their laughter, but also every bit of their precious memories, as well as all the equipment in Yannick’s recording studio.
“Through the loss and grief, a glimmer of hope persists: everyone is safe.
“Today, while the cold ashes bear witness to the cruel reality, a wave of emotion and solidarity ignites our community. Beyond the charred stones and smoking ruins, an unwavering bond is woven, a web of support that envelops the family in comforting softness.
“This fundraiser is much more than a financial gesture. It is a balm on still gaping wounds, a hand extended to help rebuild much more than walls. It is striking proof of the strength of our community, of its ability to pull together in the darkest moments, to transform distress into hope and desolation into rebirth. Together we are stronger.
“Together, we will allow this family to see new horizons, where solidarity eclipses adversity.”
Speaking fondly of their friend, the members of Despised Icon expressed just how important St-Amand has been to the band over the years.
“Yannick is literally the 7th member of our band. He’s our original guitar player, he has produced all of our albums, plus he’s our sound man when we play live and has done sound on every one of our live shows since our comeback in 2016. He is praised by many after every show for the quality of his work.”
Though the family have home insurance and will get assistance through their plan, the band says many items aren’t covered, including all of St-Amand’s music and sound equipment. Given the fact that those tools were how he provided for his family, it’s important that he’s able to recover there as well.
The fundraiser is seeking to raise $25,000 CAD. At the time of this posting, a total of $10,722 has been contributed through 202 donations. If you have the means and are willing to help, feel free to head on over to the GoFundMe page and kick in a little bit.
