Thanksgiving Reflections: Wildfire Survivors Celebrate Their First Holiday After Losing Homes
Thanksgiving Marks New Beginnings for Eaton Fire Survivor Family
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. – This Thursday will be the first Thanksgiving weekend since the January wildfires, particularly poignant for the survivors who will be observing the holiday without their homes. Among them is Nelly Head and her family, who lost their residence in Altadena to the Eaton Fire.
Nelly Head and her late husband moved into their Altadena home on Thanksgiving Day in 1994. Over the past three decades, the family celebrated each holiday there until the devastating fire took it away. "This is the place where we have all those memories, and now it’s all gone," Nelly reflected.
Despite the loss, Nelly is grateful that the family has found a rental home nearby. "It wasn’t easy. We went to six different places, but finally we found this house at least, and it’s close enough to the kids’ school and work," she said. The family’s journey post-fire took them through Northridge, Menifee, Azusa, Glendale, Big Bear, and Arcadia before settling in Pasadena.
As the family gathers this Thanksgiving, they aim to focus on togetherness and safety. "We’re starting new traditions, picking out new decorations with the kids and keeping the traditions," noted Nelly’s daughter, Corrina Vasquez.
Though they miss their beloved home in Altadena, signs of hope abound. A neighbor has begun the rebuilding process, offering a glimpse of better days ahead.
