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If you are, then you should be grateful knowing that Edgar Rice Burroughs legacy has been lovingly protected and preserved by his grandson, Danton Burroughs. Danton was my next door neighbor. A week ago tonight there was a fire. Fortunately his daughter was home and smelled smoke. She called 911 and within minutes 11 fire trucks were parked outside our house looking for access to his long driveway. They managed to isolate the fire to one room but that one room contained some of his most valuable collections including original drawings and manuscripts; letters and photos that belonged to his father John Coleman Burroughs and the grandfather. My husband was there trying to get Danton to leave the house but he was so distraught to see his collections being tossed into the night. One of his latest collections was one of antique marbles. David told me marbles were rolling down the driveway. Smoke was everywhere. Once the fire was extinguished, the paramedics checked him out before leaving and said he was fine. The next day we went up to his house and helped isolate some of the rubble. He was very distraught. He couldn't even look at the burnt objects arranged under a tarp in his driveway. Some of the guys boarded up the room which had been battered open by the firemen. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon. He had an appointment and left the house. It was the last time I saw him. The next morning I left for a dental appointment and saw there was a large hook and ladder firetruck out front again. I figured they had returned to do a light of day follow-up. When I returned an hour later I learned he had died sometime during the night. Lots of cop cars and worst of all, the coroner's van. There will be no autopsy. He was 63 and suffered from Parkinson's disease as had his father and grandfather before him. Perhaps he had other medical problems. We are pretty sure his heart was broken.
And I am so so saddened by the loss of this unique, wonderful, joyous, beautifully pure man. If any one of you care to learn about the family and the town named for his grandfather's creation -- my town of Tarzana -- check out the massive amount of historical photos and information on the ERB website. Danton did not own a computer but he had a staff of people who worked at ERB's original office still located on Ventura Blvd next to the hair salon where Britney shaved her head. Our entire community has suffered an immeasurable loss and it was just so sudden and unexpected. The last link here is a series of tributes that is growing and growing. Geez, even Harry Knowles of Ain't it Cool wrote about Danton. http://www.tarzan.org/ http://www.erbzine.com/ http://www.ERBzine.com/dantonburroughs/ Susan
“Half a truth is often a great lie.” Ben Franklin
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