Palisades Fire survivor 'Ms. Lou' celebrates her 98th birthday

LOS ANGELES - Palisades Fire survivor Louvenia Jenkins celebrated her 98th birthday Tuesday.

Known by most as "Ms. Lou," she is the face of resilience.

"I'm speechless. There's so much love. Really speechless. This is what it feels like to be really loved," Jenkins said.

Jenkins is a pioneer of the Palisades. She was the first Black woman to buy a house in the neighborhood more than 60 years ago. She lost the home she loved in the Palisades Fire last January but carries on with resilience.

"I have a strong faith, and I can only thank God that I've always been a strong person, maybe because of my mother. My mother was a very strong person, and somehow I think that's what I emulate, the person that I saw who I loved dearly," Jenkins said.

An inspirational educator, athlete and good neighbor, Ms. Lou is a Palisades celebrity.

"She has always been a beloved, community-oriented person, so yes, she's getting a lot of attention today, but I feel like it's reciprocal for the love and openness she's always given to everyone else," said friend and former neighbor Gigi Neves.

Neves said Jenkins quickly became part of her own family, serving as a role model for her children.

"A hero is someone who doesn't give up in hard circumstances, someone who helps others and leads by example, and I would say that's exactly what Grandma Lou does," Neves said.

Many look at Lou as a hero, but she humbly says she's just living life.

Her secret to making it to 98 years of life:

"I start with the Golden Rule. I always have treated others the way I want to be treated, and then the other thing I add is I've always tried to live healthily," Jenkins said.

A lifetime of kindness and love, and resilience at every turn.

A GoFundMe page continues to support Jenkins as she lives out her golden years and tries to return to a sense of normalcy.