Within days, the group blossomed into a Bay Area-wide community of people offering to donate items for fire victims.

In the background was the bus, still blue and white and not at all ... The two are thrilled that the van's survival has touched so many people."It's so cool that it's become this, like, beacon of hope ...

A retro Volkswagen van has inadvertently become a “beacon of hope” for Los Angeles area residents as they start to pick up ...

In the background was the bus ... The two are thrilled that the van's survival has touched so many people."It's so cool that it's become this, like, beacon of hope," Martin said.