Family members have begun identifying the residents who died there devastating fires in the Los Angeles area.
At least 25 people have died.
A view shows a damaged school after residents fled the Eaton Fire, one of six simultaneous wildfires in Altadena, California, on January 11, 2025 in Los Angeles County.
Ringo Chiu/Reuters
Here’s what we know about the victims:
Randall Miod
Randall “Randy” Miod, 55, died in the Palisades fire in Malibu, his mother, Carol Smith, said.
In his 20s, Miode bought his beloved apartment in Malibu, known as the “Crab Shack,” he said.
“It was beyond rustic! He loved that place,” she said. “There was always a party…Randy was the party!”
“He enrolled at Santa Monica City College and earned an AA degree in photography. In addition to working in hospitality, he also did professional photography,” Smith said. “He also had an artistic side to him. He could draw, paint and play the drums.’
Fire victim Randall Lawrence Miod (right) is seen with his mother Carol in this undated photo.
Courtesy of Carol
Smith said she last spoke to her son on the phone the day the Palisades fire broke out.
“She looked like she was on the verge of tears. I said, ‘Take your cat and go to a shelter. Please don’t bother me again,'” Smith said. “He said, ‘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.'”
“He ran through the fire and burned his beloved ‘Crab Shack’ to the ground,” Smith said. “He’d been through so many fires in the 30 years he’d lived there, he probably thought this fire was going to be like all the others and he’d come out of it unscathed.”
“He will be remembered for his kindness, his loving spirit, his generosity, his laughter, his encouragement of others, his hard work and hard hitting,” he said.
“Malibu became a legend,” he said. “He lived and died in the place he loved the most.”
Rory Sykes
Rory Sykes, 32, also died in the Palisades Fire, according to his mother, Shelley Sykes.
The mother and son lived on her property in Malibu, she said, with Rory in a cabin built for the special needs of his cerebral palsy.
Shelley Sykes said her son tried to evacuate with her, but he wouldn’t. As the air thickened with smoke, she said she kept trying to get Rory out, and she said no. Rory was 6-foot-5, so he couldn’t carry it.
In this undated photo, Rory Sykes, right, is seen with his mother Shelley Sykes.
Courtesy of Shelley Sykes
He said he tried to go get help, but when he returned, he found the house burning.
“It was like Armageddon,” he said. “It looks like a bomb went off.”
“Brave” Rory spent half of his childhood in hospitals and had many operations over the years, Shelley Sykes said.
“I was the happiest mom,” she tearfully told ABC News. “He was so loving. He was such a humble kid.”
Arthur Simoneau
Arthur Simoneau, 69, also died in the Palisades Fire, according to his ex-wife Jill.
Despite their divorce, they still spent the holidays with their son, Andre, she told ABC News.
Fire victim Arthur Simoneau (left) with his son Andre and ex-wife Jill.
Courtesy of Arthur Simoneau’s family
Simoneau was an avid adventurer and had been paragliding since his early 20s, Jill says, adding that he loved rock climbing and kayaking. Andre was taken everywhere on trips, he said, even when he was a small child.
During the evacuations, he was left behind in the house he built, according to Jill.
“He did everything except lay the foundations and sell the steel beams,” he said. “That’s why he wouldn’t leave.”
Fire victim Arthur Simoneau is seen in this undated photo.
Courtesy of Arthur Simoneau’s family
Anthony and Justin Mitchell
Hajime White told ABC News that his father, Anthony and brother Justin died in the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Both had disabilities and were in wheelchairs; They were waiting for an ambulance to take them to relatives, White told ABC News.
White said her father called her the morning of the fires, saying he knew the fire had started and needed to evacuate. He told her he loved her, and then suddenly said, ‘Baby, I’ve got to go. The fire’s in the backyard,'” White said.
“And that’s the last words I have from my father,” he said.
Anthony Mitchell died in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, his family told ABC News.
The Mitchell family
Anthony was an amputee and lived with Justin, who had cerebral palsy, according to White.
Anthony had several grandchildren and welcomed two great-grandchildren last year, according to his daughter.
“He was a great man. A great father any little girl could wish for,” she said.
White said Justin was very intelligent and enjoyed reading, especially the newspaper with his father.
“He would try as hard as he could to say ‘hello’. He tried to tell me he loved me,” White said of his brother.
Victor Shaw
Victor Shaw died in his heroic attempt to protect his home in Altadena, his sister Shari Shaw, said ABC News.
Victor Shaw died defending his Altadena home from the Eaton fire, his family said.
The Shaw Family
Victor Shaw had lived in the family home since 1965 and had health problems that affected his mobility, according to his sister.
“I can’t imagine what she might have been thinking, how scared she might have been,” Shari Shaw said.
Charles Mortimer
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed that 84-year-old Charles Mortimer was among those killed in the fires.
Mortimer’s family said he “lived life to the fullest”.
Fire victim, Charles Mortimer.
Courtesy of the Mortimer Family
“He was a world traveler, sun worshiper and avid sports fan,” the family said, adding that he was happy to see his “beloved” Chicago Cubs win the World Series.
“He will be remembered as a man with a quick wit, a brilliant mind and a love for his family. His contagious smile and endless sense of humor will be greatly missed by friends and family around the world.” said the family.
Evelyn McClendon
In the shadow of what remains of his and his family’s home in Altadena, California, Zaire Calvin spoke to ABC News about the loss of his sister, Evelyn McClendon, who he said died in the Eaton Fire.
Calvin recounted how quickly the brush fire spread through the neighborhood: “I’ve been here my whole life, I’ve never seen a crosswind like that. It was literally shooting like fireballs.”
Calvin said he thought his sister had evacuated by the time he and his wife and child left the area, but she didn’t.
When they returned to what was left of the Altadena home, Calvin said he and his cousin found McClendon’s remains.
“I don’t know why he didn’t leave,” she said.
ABC News’ Sean Keane and Mola Lenghi contributed to this report.
