Legacies in the Ashes

News of wildfires closing in on neighborhoods wasn’t the warning of complete catastrophe it should have been for the California homeowners who’d heard it before. Having evacuated for previous fires, residents of Altadena, Pacific Palisades, West Hills and neighboring areas had no idea what loomed in the smoke above.

Altadena resident, Anthony Mitchell, 67, used a wheelchair after having a leg amputated. Refusing to leave the side of his son, Justin, who had cerebral palsy, the two lose their home and their lives in the fire.

“He probably could have gotten himself out, but he wasn’t going to leave my brother, “Anthony Mitchell Jr. told NBC News.

“Money don’t matter, property don’t matter, my kids and family are my treasure,” Mitchell remembers his father telling him.

Mitchell and his son are two of 29 confirmed fatalities in the fires.

While Los Angeles may be known for its glitz and glamour, at it’s heart, it’s really a place that prides itself on its history and communities. Unfortunately, Angelenos grieve the loss of historic structures including; the Andrew McNally, Robert Bridges, Keeler, Benedict and Nancy Freedman Houses, Altadena’s Bunny Museum, Will Roger's’ Ranch House, the Topanga Ranch Motel, Pasadena Waldorf School, Palisades Theatre, Zane Grey Estate and the Music House of Arnold Schoenberg.

Particularly close to heart are the people who truly shape the culture of the famed City of Angeles, despite the nationwide discourse chronicling “Eat the Rich” mentalities and blaming billionaires, selfish elites, and the dark world of Hollywood—all while the city burned.

With a heavy heart, more than 16,000 homes and structures were damaged or destroyed—so few of them billionaires’ vacation homes.

Erliene Louise Kelley, 83

Erliene Louise Kelley, 83, had seen major wildfires and thought that everything would be fine, like it had been before. Her granddaughter, Briana Navarro, 33, believes her grandmother to be “at peace,” having stayed in the home she “tended to every day” for over 40 years.

“If I’m out with her, you’re getting stopped like, four or five times. Everyone knew her,” Navarro told NBC News. “Her generation, my parents’ generation, even all of my friends in high school, they’re all like, ‘She was so sweet.’”

Victor Shaw, 66

Victor Shaw, 66, stayed back to protect his home, which had been in the family for more than 50 years. Sadly, he was killed the night of Jan. 7, in the Eaton Fire.

His sister and roommate, Shari Shaw told KTLA-TV that she tried to get him to leave as the flames engulfed the property. “When I went back in and yelled out his name, he didn’t reply back, and I had to get out because the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm,” she said. “I looked behind me, and the house was starting to go up in flames and I had to leave.”

A family friend, Al Tanner, told KTLA that when they returned to the home the following morning, they found Victor’s body, equipped with a garden hose.

Rodney Kent Nickerson, 83

Rodney Kent Nickerson, 83, promised his loved ones he would be fine.

“My son tried to get him to leave, and my neighbors and myself, and he said he’ll be fine— ‘I’ll be here when you guys come back.’ And he said his house would be there,” his daughter, Kimiko Nickerson said.

Nickerson worked for Lockheed Martin as a project engineer manager for 45 years and lived in the Altadena house since 1968.

“His house is here, and he was here, too" Kimiko told the station. “He was in his bed when I found him. His whole body was there, intact.”

Randall “Craw Daddy” Miod, 55

Local Malibu legend, Randall “Craw Daddy” Miod, died in his home, lovingly known as the “Crab Shack.”

His mother, Carol Smith, said in a written statement that he “lived and died in the place he loved the most.”

Smith told NBC News that she spoke to him the day the fire started. She begged him to leave, but audibly tearful, he told her, “No, Mom. I don’t trust the fire department, and I have a hose.”

“His last words to me that day were ‘Pray for the Palisades and pray for Malibu. I love you,’” Smith said.

Members of the beach community have shared that Malibu will remember Miod for his encouragement, generosity and the Crab Shack.

“I don’t think he ever realized how much everyone loved and respected him, just for being Randy, ‘the Craw,’” she said of her son.

The final moments of these true Angelenos remind us of what matters most—love, resilience and the courage to hold on to what defines us, even in the face of flames.

While yes, Los Angeles is home to Hollywood—a breeding ground for exploitation and vanity— it’s far more than that. It’s where the black sheep of the family find refuge and where the most imaginative of people flee to take the biggest risk of their lives.

And not surprisingly, but regrettably, this tragedy revealed the true spirit of the city—a community that comes together to build structures, share food and fight fires.