Here’s a quick overview of the key aspects of this story:
- Stayed Behind: A family in Altadena chose to remain in their home despite the raging wildfires.
- Community Help: The father-daughter duo took on the task of checking on neighbors’ homes for worried evacuees.
- Devastating Impact: The fires consumed over 12,000 structures and left at least 16 people dead.
- Emotional Toll: The task of delivering bad news was heartbreaking, but crucial for those awaiting updates.
- Community Spirit: The article highlights the beautiful unity and support demonstrated by the community.
Flames Approach, Family Stays
When the wildfires began their relentless march towards Altadena, California, most residents did what any rational person would: they evacuated. But not Vanessa Prata and her family. While many people focused on fleeing, they were forced to decide what they would take in their car. Her family’s choice to stay put in their home of 27 years, was definitely out of the ordinary.
As the fires roared closer, Vanessa, a 25-year-old nursing student, was making her way home from dinner, when she saw the first sign that their life was about to change. After calling her father, she rushed back to her home in the opposite direction that everyone else was driving. With the power out, they desperately packed the things they valued the most: family photos and childhood keepsakes. Her father, Aluizio Prata, an engineering professor, wasn’t going anywhere though. He was determined to fight the flames if they reached them. What a man!
Neighbors Need Help
With the streets blocked and other residents kept out by authorities, Vanessa and her father realized that those in shelters were in a desperate position. Stuck waiting and wondering about their own homes. They knew they had to take action.
Vanessa took to social media, posting an offer to the Altadena community. She and her dad were ready to go house-to-house and take pictures for people. She knew that seeing the situation for themselves was the only way for people to begin to deal with the loss.
A Heartbreaking Task
The response was overwhelming. They got requests from 45 families by the next morning. Driving past fallen trees and downed power lines, they checked addresses written in a notebook. What they saw was not easy to deal with. They made their way past burned-out cars and smoldering ruins. Fewer than half the homes they visited were still standing.
As a nursing student, Vanessa was not new to difficult situations. Still, this experience has definitely added to her emotional depth. She described the task of delivering the bad news about burned homes as absolutely heartbreaking. She explained how a person would send her a photo of their house, “how beautiful it was prior,” which only made the tragedy that much more heartwrenching.
A Community United
What makes this story even more heartwarming, was the amazing community spirit. People were giving food, clothes, and pet supplies. Even Taco trucks from Los Angeles were offering free meals to people. Vanessa, however, saw her role to be one of information gatherer. She stayed home, running a generator when needed and checking the news. But she could not leave her neighborhood because she would not be allowed to return. So she chose to help in the best way she could: by using her own eyes to tell the truth.
Despite the destruction, she felt lucky to be part of her community. She stated that it was, “overwhelmingly beautiful to see” how everyone was helping out and doing what they could. The fires may have tried to break the spirit of her community. Instead, it has only shown how much people care.
The wildfires in California were a devastating disaster. But it is stories of human kindness that will make the most impact.
This story originally broke on AP News