Each morning he awakes to news of more lives lost, countless homes destroyed, and horrific images of scorched animals clutching each other as they raced to escape the deadly blazes.
Most importantly, he says he can’t shake the thoughts of his family.
Broekhoff’s mom and sisters have not evacuated, but smoky air hovers above the orange sky and continues to dampen their air quality. He said his family is among the lucky ones, however, as many Australians remain gripped in a state of uncertainty.
“It’s our home country, and we need to find ways to give back,” said Broekhoff, a native of Frankston, a seaside suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia.