The fire which ravaged Altadena in Los Angeles, has claimed the lives of at least 10 people.
Among the victims is 83-year-old Rodney Nickerson, who was found deceased in his bed by his family. The discovery was made on Thursday, January 9, after the fire had reduced his Altadena home to rubble and ash.
As Kimiko Nickerson, Rodney’s daughter, walked through the remnants of her childhood home, she recalled the last conversation she had with her father. “The last thing he verbally said to me was, ‘I’ll be here tomorrow,'” Kimiko said, her voice filled with emotion. “We found his bones, his whole body was intact.”
Rodney had insisted on staying in the family home, which he had purchased in 1968 for $5.
The Nickerson family has deep roots in the Los Angeles community. Kimiko’s great-grandfather, William Nickerson, was the founder and owner of Nickerson Gardens in Watts, the largest public housing development in Los Angeles.
Rodney had worked at Lockheed Martin for 45 years as a project engineer. His wife had also worked at Lockheed. Kimiko believes that her father was likely getting ready for bed when they last spoke around 9:30 p.m., as he was still accustomed to waking up at 4 a.m.
Despite efforts by his family and neighbors to persuade him to leave, Rodney had refused, saying he would be fine. “My son tried to get him to leave, my neighbors and myself, and he said he’ll be fine…” Kimiko said.
The fire has claimed several lives, including 66-year-old Victor Shaw, who was found holding a hose after the flames ravaged his neighborhood. His sister, Shari Shaw, believes that Victor had tried to fight back the fire. “He wasn’t in the best of health, but I know he probably fought with all his will,” she said.
“I’ll miss talking to him, joking about, traveling with him, and I’ll just miss him to death,” she said. “I just hate that he had to go out like that.”
The fire also claimed the lives of 67-year-old amputee Anthony Mitchell and his son, Justin, who has cerebral palsy. Mitchell’s daughter, Hajime White, said that the two were waiting for an ambulance to pick them up when the fire engulfed their home. Authorities told her that Mitchell was found by the side of his son’s bed.
