At least two of those killed in the Wildfires in Southern California tried to protect the homes where they raised their family and lived for decades, while another stayed with his son who had cerebral palsy and could not evacuate.
So far, eleven people have died in the Los Angeles area after destruction wildfires fueled by dry conditions and powerful winds broke out on Tuesday. Thousands of structures were destroyed and approximately 180,000 people were forced from their homes. Authorities said the true death toll was not known as the fires continued to destroy neighborhoods.
Here’s what we know so far about the victims:
Anthony and Justin Mitchell
Anthony Mitchell remembered his father as a “protector” who would do anything for his family. The 67-year-old great-grandfather of 10, who had the same name as his son, died at his Altadena home. Anthony’s younger brother, Justin Mitchell, also died.
Anthony said his father used a wheelchair after having his leg amputated last year and refused to leave Justin, who had cerebral palsy and couldn’t walk.
“He probably could have gotten away with it, but he wasn’t going to leave my brother,” he told NBC News on Friday. “He truly loved his children.”
Anthony said he last spoke to his father around 5 a.m. Wednesday. His father said they were waiting to be evacuated, but about 30 minutes later his father called another family member and told him he could see the fire in front of the house.
“Everyone is upset by what happened,” he said.
Anthony described his father as a leader who cherished his family. He gave nicknames to each of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was always ready to lend a helping hand.
“My father loved his family,” Anthony said. “He and I had a long conversation and he said, ‘I want you to know that my children and my grandchildren, my nieces and nephews, you are all my legacy. You are my treasure. He said: “Money doesn’t matter, property doesn’t matter, my children and my family are my treasure. »
Justin loved watching television and having people read to him.
“He was just a really sweet kid,” Anthony said.
Erliene Louise Kelley
Briana Navarro, 33, remembers her grandmother, Erliene Louise Kelley, as a “sweet” but “stern” woman who knew just about everyone in her neighborhood.
“If I go out with her, you get arrested four or five times. Everyone knew her. Her generation, my parents’ generation, even all my friends in high school, they all say, ‘She was… so nice,'” Navarro told NBC News on Thursday.
Navarro said she was at the family’s Altadena home — where she lived with her husband, two daughters and grandmother — when she looked out the window and saw smoke.
“We were walking outside, you could just see a red glow,” she remembers. “It didn’t look like anything serious.”
The family was in no rush to leave, but Navarro’s husband wanted to evacuate.
“My husband, he’s not from here, so he saw things a little differently than us,” Navarro said. “We asked (my grandmother)… and she said, ‘No, no, I’m fine. Go ahead, guys.'”
Kelley, 83, who had previously experienced a major wildfire, thought everything would be OK, his granddaughter said. Police confirmed to Navarro Thursday evening that Kelley died when the fire engulfed the home.
Navarro said she believed her grandmother was “at peace” and remained in the home she “took care of every day” for more than four decades. The family is now grappling with this loss.
“My grandmother was very active. … I thought she would be 99 years old just walking around. We didn’t expect to lose her so tragically and that’s what hurts the most,” he said. -she declared.
Victor Shaw
Victor Shaw, 66, was trying to protect his home that had been in the family for more than five decades when he was killed in the Eaton fire Tuesday night, his family said.
His sister, Shari Shaw, said KTLA that they lived together in the house and, as flames began to engulf the property, she tried to get him to leave.
“When I came back and shouted his name, he didn’t answer and I had to go out because the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm,” she said. “I looked behind me and the house was starting to catch fire and I had to leave.”
Shari Shaw declined to be interviewed when contacted by NBC News, saying she needed to focus on her brother’s funeral arrangements.
Al Tanner, a family friend, told KTLA that when they returned home Wednesday morning, they found Victor’s body on the side of a road with a garden hose in his hand.
“It looks like he was trying to save the house that his parents had owned for almost 55 years,” Tanner said.
Rodney Kent Nickerson
Rodney Kent Nickerson, 83, had reassured his loved ones that he would be OK as family and neighbors tried to get him evacuated from his Altadena home, his daughter Kimiko Nickerson said. KCAL News.
“My son tried to get him and my neighbors and I to leave, and he said he’ll be fine, I’ll be here when you come back. And he said his house will be here,” he said. she declared.
Nickerson was outside trying to water his property around 7 p.m. Tuesday, his daughter said. The last time she spoke to him was on FaceTime around 9:30 p.m.
“His house is here and he was there too. He was in his bed when I found him. His whole body was there intact,” she told the station.
Kimiko could not immediately be reached at the telephone numbers listed for her.
Nickerson, who worked for aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin for 45 years as a project manager engineer, had lived in the house since 1968. Kimiko told the station: “I don’t know any place other than here”.
“I’ve been here my whole life,” she said. “Myself, my brother, my son and his other grandchildren, this is where we have lived all our lives.”
