Sheila Wilson’s family is reeling after two members perished and many others lost their homes in her hometown of Altadena.
ALTADENA, Calif. – A father and son with disabilities died in the Eaton Fire after they were unable to receive a medical evacuation, according to family members.
It will be weeks before the fatalities from the Los Angeles fires are known as teams continue to search the charred areas of the Palisades and Eaton fires for remains, but some families have also discovered their loved ones on their own.
Sheila Wilson said her cousin and his father tragically died in the fire because they were unable to evacuate their home without medical assistance.
According to Wilson, her uncle was an amputee and unable to lift his son, who suffered from cerebral palsy. He called 911 for help on Tuesday night to get out as the Eaton Fire was approaching Altadena, but help did not come in time.
Wilson said her family believed the father and son were at a shelter. The family didn’t learn the home had caught fire until the next day when the home was already engulfed in flames, according to Wilson.
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“They’re gone, and so how come the dad didn’t leave? Because he could have gotten out. Yes, he could have. But would you leave your child in a disaster?” Wilson asked. “He chose to stay with his son, and he stayed there and they both went together.”
Wilson spoke to FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell while she was volunteering at a Pasadena Church, gathering donations, including water, to help residents who are unable to drink the city’s water.
Pasadena Church destroyed by the Eaton Fire in January 2025.
Wilson said she is coping with tragedy by staying busy and trying to help her community.
“Even if you’re going through a tragedy, if you do it with someone else, it makes it better to get through,” Wilson said.
The wildfires have claimed at least 24 lives and destroyed countless homes, businesses and schools.
Officials have increased the containment for the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire burning in the Los Angeles area as critical fire weather remains in Southern California. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell was live from the scene of a church that was destroyed in Pasadena with the latest on the wildfire fight.
The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue teams continue a grid search through the ashes.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, it may be weeks before fire victims are confirmed and positively identified. The department is using complex methods to identify the decedents, including dental records, DNA, medical records and radiographs to look for medical appliances and associated serial numbers.