On Jan. 7, evacuation orders from the Los Angeles Fire Department and other agencies hit some residents’ phones, while others learned from Facebook groups and neighbors that they needed to evacuate. In most cases, people believed they would be able to return home in a few days, get back to normal.

Leah Wright-Lewis, a 51-year-old Altadena resident of 13 years, recounts her family’s terrifying escape from the Eaton Fire that devastated their neighborhood. Living with her 81-year-old mother and 17-year-old son, Leah initially underestimated the severity of the situation, believing they would be safe from the annual wildfires.

Below, she tells her story in her own words.

Immediate aftermath and support

As news of the fire spreading were coming in, my first thought was, “OK, we have fires every year during the Santa Ana winds. It will be ok. We’ll be fine. The fires never come this low.” So, we stayed until the emergency alert came through on our phones because we simply did not comprehend the severity of the danger we were in.

When we got the emergency evacuation order, it was around 4 a.m. [Jan. 8]. I woke to the alarm. The power, which was on when we fell asleep, was out. It was dark and extremely windy. The house smelled like smoke. We quickly threw some essentials in a bag and fled into the dark, smoky, windy night. Visibility was very low. All we could hear was the wind.

We left behind everything. We could see embers flying in the wind toward our street. Some of them landed at the intersection, and we knew we had to move fast. We drove into the night, heading south away from the smoke. We found an open diner in Atwater Village and went there to get some breakfast and regroup and figure out our next move. Still not imagining that we would not have a home to go back to, we called our friends and went to their house in Van Nuys. Sometime later that morning, we got word that our house had burned down, and in fact that our entire street, neighborhood and city was burning to the ground. 

Emotional and physical toll

Simultaneously, we were dealing with a sick pet. We had to put our sweet dog, Princess, down on Tuesday, January 14. On top of everything else I lost my emotional support baby. I felt extremely disoriented and overwhelmed and sad. 

All of this was happening on the heels of me surviving breast cancer last year. In 2023 and 2024, I underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. I also experienced acute anxiety and depression as a result of chemotherapy. I went into remission in the spring of 2024.

Our amazing friends, Dahlia Foroutan and Giovani Ortiz, opened their home and their hearts to us. What has made the biggest impactful difference during this devastating loss is the love, action, compassion and generosity of friends. I have been provided with so many resources — from supplies, clothing, financial donations, lodging, food, emotional support and love. I am truly humbled.

What has helped the most is the selflessness and compassion of friends and family. What has been least helpful is probably being given too many physical items that I have nowhere to put. This seems like a ridiculous thing to complain about, but at this point in our displacement journey, the simple truth is that most of us victims just need financial aid and gift cards for when we finally find a new home. Affordable housing is the next thing we will all need. There needs to be some kind of emergency law that prohibits price gouging on rentals at this time. 

I have also found it difficult to be inundated with too much information or questions at once. We are already overwhelmed and lots of us don’t even know what we need. We can’t even think. 

Recovery and resources

I have a case with FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] which I’m hoping will result in financial aid for future rent. GofundMe has also been a life-saving resource. I also have joined the lawsuit against SoCal Edison. 

I am so proud of our community. The way everyone has come together is so beautiful. Free food and supplies are abundant. People are donating their time and energy selflessly. The kindness of strangers is amazing. I’ve cried with so many strangers. Overwhelming love and support is everywhere! There seems to be an energy of collective healing in the air.  

I’m super proud of my son, CJ. At 17, he is so emotionally mature and resilient. More so than most adults I know. Losing our dog has been hard on him, and the timing of it could not be worse, but he is strong. CJ and I have always talked openly about anything. Now is no different. We also both have therapists as an ongoing practice. This will for sure help us moving forward into the unknown. My mother is very anxious. She suffers from congestive heart failure and was experiencing chest pains during evacuation. 

Moving forward

Two days after our house burned down, I put my mother on a plane to stay with my sister in Oakland until I figure out where we will land. CJ and I have an Airbnb that we got through 211LA. They gave us a $1300 credit. This has probably been the most useful resource. We will sublet [a month-to-month] house until we find a permanent home. 

The challenges ahead are logistic and financial. I’m a motion picture costumer, and there needs to be more productions brought to L.A. so that we can work and rebuild. Logistically figuring out what CJ’s schooling will be and look like is next. His school also burned down. He lost his computer in the fire as well. 

Maintaining normalcy at this time is challenging. I went back to the gym, and it felt really good to get back to some kind of regimen. Lifting has always been vital for getting out of my head and into my body. I am grateful to have this practice for my mental and physical well-being. Being intentional about seeking out joy is important, especially in times like this. 

What would I tell other families who are starting over? Never lose hope and faith. These qualities are undefeatable. Faith and action equal growth. Stay together and love each other hard right now. Take care and move forward and don’t look back. Take whatever help is offered with enthusiasm because it is a gift from God. Survive and thrive through alchemy. Silver linings are everywhere.