Hope after the Flames: Palisades, Eaton fire survivors share stories of loss and rebuilding
Hope after the Flames
After unthinkable loss from the January fires, survivors show strength and undeniable hope after the flames.
Teen Survivors Roundtable – "Voices We’ve Rarely Heard"
LOS ANGELES - The teens who lived through the January wildfires open up about loss in a way only they can: raw, honest, and unfiltered. They speak about the weight of watching their parents break, the fear of losing the few irreplaceable memories their families had, and the disorientation of calling a hotel "home." Yet amid grief, they cling to gratitude, finding strength in shared stories and the comfort of peers who understand their pain.
Palisades Charter High School Baseball Team – "A Team Without a Home"
The Palisades baseball team lost homes, their field, and their normalcy, but they never lost each other. Forced to play an entire season on the road, they carried the weight of uncertainty while trying to keep their school spirit alive. Through every practice and every game, the team became a lifeline, offering the players a place to breathe when their real lives felt uprooted. Now they’re fighting to rebuild a home field, not just for themselves, but for the generations who will follow.
Fireproof Rebuild – Margot’s Story in Altadena
Margot lost her century-old home, 100 years of family history, on the night she still calls the worst of her life. Rather than run from what happened, she chose to rebuild stronger, constructing a fire-resistant home that reflects both resilience and reinvention. Her journey blends grief with determination, proving that the future can be sturdier than the past. In rising from ashes with concrete walls and an unshaken spirit, she becomes a symbol of strength for her community.
Molly & Michael – "Sifting Through What’s Left"
When Molly and Michael returned to the ashes of their Palisades home, they weren’t prepared for the flood of fear, denial, and heartbreak that followed. A chance meeting with their home’s developer offered a small but powerful spark of hope in the bleakest moment. As they slowly rebuild, piece by tiny piece, the Christmas village Michael painstakingly restores for their daughter becomes a symbol of memories they refuse to lose. Their story is a testament to the courage it takes to return to where the pain began and choose to begin again.
Dan Kalisher & Family – "Music That Saved Them"
Musician Dan Kalisher and his family lost their home, studio, and livelihood in minutes. But the music community refused to let him fall. Fellow artists, neighbors, and national organizations stepped in with donated instruments, grants, and support that kept him working and helped his family survive the unimaginable. Though nearly every physical trace of their old life is gone, the generosity surrounding them created a new foundation of hope. Their story shows how a community’s love can restore not just belongings, but identity, purpose, and possibility.