Sultan family promoting awareness to honor lost member

When Sultan residents Bonnie and Gerry Gibson woke up on Friday, Jan.8, they learned their son Greg, and his dog Nino, had died in a house fire. In an instant, Bonnie and Gerry lost their son, while their daughters, Emily Bennett and Colleen Rowe, lost their baby brother.

Now, they are working to make sure what happened to Greg doesn't happen to anybody else.

The fire occurred in Shoreline in the early morning hours. Greg's roommates were able to evacuate the premises, but Greg and Nino were trapped in their basement room. When the Gibson family learned there were no working smoke detectors in Greg's home, they were inspired to turn their grief into action.

They founded the Gibby and Nino Home Fire Prevention Campaign, a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fire prevention awareness and protection. They had an artist create a logo that features Greg and Nino in cartoon form, wearing superhero capes and equipped with a fire extinguisher.

Greg's partner, Ben Arao, serves as the president, Bonnie and Gerry are vice presidents, Bennett is the treasurer and Rowe is the secretary.

In their first public outreach effort on Saturday, March 12, the Gibson family went to work. they volunteered with the Red Cross Home Fire Preparedness Campaign Event and hit the streets, helping to install free smoke detectors for families in need and offering fire prevention education.

Bennett, Rowe and Arao volunteered in Lynnwood, while Bonnie and Gerry Gibson worked with a team of volunteers in Sultan. Red Cross board members Dom Amor and Brad Feilberg facilitated the effort, with the help of firefighters from Snohomish County Fire District 5. Sultan residents Dave and Christina Sivewright joined them, along with Rich and Nancy Bender and family friend Ian Southall.

The Red Cross provided the smoke detectors free of charge for the campaign.

The group went door to door at the Wallace River Park in Startup, installing smoke detectors where needed. Bonnie and Gerry were welcomed into the home of Betty Acha, who gratefully allowed two smoke detectors to be installed by Amor and Feilberg.

Acha has four kids, and moved to the area from California about a year ago. Her home had no smoke detectors at all.-á

Gerry hopes to participate in many more fire prevention events like the one on March 12, and is planning to work collaboratively with Fire District 5 and the Red Cross to coordinate future efforts.

"All with the hope of saving at least one life," he said.

The Gibson family is still coming to terms with the sudden loss of Greg and Nino, as are those that knew them. As word spread about Greg's death on Jan. 8, the Seattle music scene mourned. As the founder of Local Chaos Productions, a musician, promoter and longtime booker at Tim's Tavern, Greg was infinitely passionate about the Seattle music scene ' and those who knew him adored him with equal passion.

Greg, fondly known as "Gibby" or "GG," embraced every aspect of booking and promoting. He made flyers, coordinated bands, developed relationships and made friends. He loved all genres of music, but was particularly fond of punk, reggae and ska. He founded Seattle Ska Fest and was the drummer in many ska and punk bands over the years.

Within a few hours of his death, a "Friends and Family of Greg Gibson" Facebook group was created, and quickly began to fill with photos, stories, songs and expressions of love for Greg.

As the outpouring gained momentum, something that Bonnie and Gerry hadn't fully understood became very clear; Greg Gibson was a big deal. His loss was felt around the world, as musicians from as far away as Japan were shocked and saddened by what happened. Today, the "Friends and Family of Greg Gibson" Facebook group has 1,100 members, and is frequently used to share memories, plan memorial shows and to just simply love Greg for who he was.

Nearly 400 people were in attendance at Greg Gibson's celebration of life in Snohomish on Jan. 16.

It was overwhelming and beautiful at the same time, agreed Bonnie and Gerry.

"I never thought Greg had that many friends or knew that many people," Gerry said. "It was a great learning experience for me ' I think we were all awed."

The event was officiated by Sgt. First Class Dave Sivewright with help from his wife, Christina, who serve with Gerry and Bonnie in the Sultan VFW and the VFW Auxiliary. Guests of the event embraced Arao and the Gibson family, shared their favorite stories about Greg, played music and honored his memory with both laughter and tears. Longtime friend Jason Wakeham couldn't be at the service in person, but he wrote and recorded a song called "Gregarious," which was played for guests.

Those who loved Greg left the event loving him even more, while lesser-known acquaintances left completely smitten.

"Not only did Greg care deeply about music, he lived life on his own terms with enthusiasm, creativity and full of love. Numerous people have been touched, helped and supported by Greg over the many years," Sivewright said. "His father, Gerry, recognized the depth of passion and character and was proud of his son."

Greg brought excitement and fun to their family, Bennett said. He wasn't conventional, he sidestepped the rules, he was a dreamer and a goofball, and they loved him for it. He fully engaged in life with constant zeal, greeted everyone with a smile and cast his love freely and generously.

"Everything was more fun with my brother," Bennett said.

He loved to give, she said. At Christmas time he organized a large-scale toy drive, donating all the toys to Seattle Children's Hospital. He would offer touring bands a place to stay, and sleep on the floor while giving his guests the couch.

Bonnie Gibson enrolled Greg in a piano rhythm class when he was a toddler, and he gravitated straight to a small drum. Over the years, Greg was the drummer in many Seattle bands, including Can't Complain, Death Polka and Mind Candy. He was in the jazz band at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, which is where he met longtime friend Aaron Germaine.

Greg was an adventurer, he had an endlessly positive outlook on life and lived with no regrets, Germaine said.

"Relationships were really important to Greg," he said. "He did what he loved and he loved what he did in life and he lived for music, and he lived to entertain. He was just so passionate."

The two were in a band together roughly 20 years ago while they were still in high school, and Germaine recalled a gig they had at a Tacoma venue called the Java Jump. Greg was on his way to the show, when his car broke down on I-5 near Seattle.

"The next thing you know, we're in Tacoma waiting for him, and here comes a tow truck with Greg's car in tow," Germaine said. "I remember asking Greg, "Why did you tow your car all the way to Tacoma?' And his response was, "Well, how else was I going to get my drums there?' "

Gerry and Bonnie remember the incident all too well, as Gerry was not exactly happy to learn the car had been towed to Tacoma, knowing it would be up to him to foot the bill. Over the years the two attended many of Greg's shows, as did Bennett and Rowe.

"Greg was just a force of nature, and that was the beauty and the chaos all wrapped up in one," Germaine said. "Like a storm you just have to wait out and marvel as it does what it does, but there's always a rainbow to remind you of life's beauty through struggle, and I feel thankful to have known him and remained friends all these years."

Since Greg's death, the Gibsons have made Arao an honorary member of their family. Greg treated him like a king every day, he said, and he loved him with all his heart. The two had been together for more than a year and looked forward to building a future together.

"I will be forever broken," Arao said.

It is believed by fire investigators the fire in Greg's home was electrical, caused by an overloaded power-strip. The fire was contained to the basement area, but the flames had not extended into Greg's room. It is believed he and Nino died from smoke inhalation, and there didn't appear to be any sign of a struggle.

"It's two breaths in a toxic smoke-filled room and you're gone," Bonnie said. "Two breaths."

During the group's recent volunteer effort, Bonnie was charged with providing fire safety education. The Gibby and Nino Home Fire Prevention Campaign wants to raise awareness about the importance of holding family fire drills and having a formal evacuation plan, in addition to promoting smoke detectors.

Greg's death could have been prevented had there been a working smoke alarm in his home, Bennett said.

"Greg was a wonderful brother and person who always wanted to help others. We are doing our best to carry out his kind will by using the tragedy as an example to save others," she said. "His life made a difference to so many people, and we don't want what happened to him to happen to anyone else."

For more information on the Gibby and Nino Home Fire Prevention Campaign or to make a donation, visit www.gibbyhomefireprevention.org.