Pasadena family faces hurdles with rebuilding one year after Eaton Fire

PASADENA, Calif. - A mother and son in Pasadena hoping to rebuild following the Eaton fire have faced some hurdles in the process as the road to rebuilding continues. 

The backstory:

It has been one year since the Eaton Fire destroyed homes and killed 19 people. 

RELATED: LA wildfires one year later as communities reflect and rebuild

Totress Beasley and her son, Aaron Miller's story has garnered attention following the inspirational message they shared outside the Pasadena Convention Center when they found out their house burned. 

Beasley and Miller evacuated from their house in Pasadena on Glen Street at 3 a.m. on January 7, 2025. It was the first house Beasley was able to buy, and she had been living there for 12 years.

"When we evacuated, we evacuated ten hours before the house burned down. When we left, these homes weren't at risk at all. We just left out of precaution like we'll be back," said Miller.

They later found out their house was on fire, and Miller remembers going to the house and seeing it burn."I just remember just having to sit there and watch the house burn down and nobody could do anything about it. The firefighter was standing next to me with an empty water hose in his hand.

It was a bad situation. I took it real hard," said Miller.

Miller was a tenant in the home, and ran both a clothing business and a marketing business out of the house. He said he thought about running in to try to retrieve money and equipment.

"I actually opened the door and I saw the fire coming to the front and it was coming fast so I'm glad that I didn't [go inside]," said Miller.Beasley recounted what she remembered from January 7, 2025. "When I came [to her house], everybody was outside because unlike Altadena where all the houses were burning at the same time, and it was smokey and you had to get out, here [in her Pasadena neighborhood] because a lot of the houses did not burn, you could stand outside so a lot of the neighbors were around and everybody was just watching the house [burn]. I was more or less numb. I couldn't really have an emotion because it's like what can you do," said Beasley.

CHALLENGES

Since the fire, Beasley and Miller have been in limbo. Beasley had just paid off her mortgage on December 17, 2024 before the Eaton fire.

"I think it was very good that the house was paid off because I don't have to pay a mortgage now so that's the blessing in it. I still owe on the home because I got a first time home buyer's loan so that one does not have to be paid for 30 years which now is about 14 or 15 so I'm gonna have to pay that back, but as far as a monthly mortgage, I don't have that," said Beasley.

Beasley's insurance is through Liberty Mutual. She said she did receive money for personal items and rebuilding, but is not sure it will cover all of her costs to rebuild.

"Right now, I'm making sure I'll have enough finances to get the house that I want and not have to have a mortgage again," said Beasley.

Securing resources has been challenging for them too, especially Miller because he was technically a tenant.

"They say one per household but we're actually two households. He [Miller]] paid taxes for his household, and I [Beasley] pay taxes for my household," said Beasley.

Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International publicly stated that their equipment is "likely" the cause of the Eaton Fire. Miller said the process to receive resources from their company is also difficult to navigate.

"The process is a little bit confusing. They don't reach out to you. You have to reach out to them and get your own resources. If you're frustrated with the process sometimes you do nothing and if you do nothing, then you'll really miss out. I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people who are gonna miss out on benefits that should go to them," said Miller.

Miller also believes Pasadena residents are being left out of the conversation. On their street, Glen Street, their house is the marker for the start of Pasadena. All of the homes to the right of it are technically Altadena.

"This is Pasadena technically. That sign represents the start of Altadena. When it comes down to the bureaucracy of everything, it's totally different, and that's when it matters. [There are] different permits, and different sets of rules. In my experience, Pasadena was left out in a lot of the sayings and slogans and things like that because it doesn't say Pasadena's not for sale, it says Altadena is not for sale," said Miller.

WHERE THEY STAND NOW

Beasley submitted her rebuilding permits to the city of Pasadena, and so far, the City has responded repeatedly with required changes before the rebuilding is approved. 

"It's back with the City [of Pasadena] and going through review again so hopefully it will pass and then we can possibly do groundbreaking and get started," said Beasley.

Beasley said she has no plans to sell her house.

"I know this house is not for sale and none of my neighbors are gonna sell so that's a good  thing. We'll all come back together. My neighbors say when are you gonna start? I'm waiting but I'm being patient and trusting God. I always have to put him in the picture because he is my foundation. If I don't give anybody credit, he's [God] getting credit for that so his timing and I think his timing is right," said Beasley.

Beasley was able to salvage some albums with old photos of her son's milestones from  the fire. The albums were in a wooden box in her garage and made it through the fire, along with some jewelry. However, Beasley said the jewelry was taken by looters.

"They [looters] came in and got the jewelry but they left my album so I was able to get their high school pictures, prom pictures, different pictures that I had in there," said Beasley.Beasley and Miller are living with Beasley's other son currently until they're able to rebuild.

Beasley and Miller are asking for donations to help with the rebuilding process. Click here if you would like to donate. 

WildfiresPasadena