LA Wildfires: A Daughter’s Heartbreaking Reflection on Her Father’s Choice to Stay Home | US News
“He is still in bed, right where he was when I awaited the coroner,” Kimiko Nickerson’s words echoed hauntingly.
The 82-year-old Rodney, her father, believed the fire wouldn’t reach their Altadena home. Unfortunately, he was mistaken.
The blaze swept through this serene suburb north of Los Angeles at a frightening speed, its course entirely erratic.
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She shared, “He simply refused to evacuate. Having lived here since 1968, he’s been in Altadena my entire life.”
“Like many of us in this block and neighboring blocks, he didn’t anticipate such devastation.”
“The fire leaped entire streets, impacting this community while leaving the mountainside untouched.”
Residents are still grappling with the surreal scenes and mourning those who couldn’t escape.
Kimiko expressed, “I lack the words to convey my emotions at this moment.”
“I feel silent and numb, mentally attempting to navigate through this process.”
Rodney Nickerson chose to stay in his Altadena home.
Pic: Kimiko Nickerson
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The extent of the destruction is impossible to overstate, with cars reduced to ashes, palm trees still ablaze, and power lines scattered across roadways.
Many have lost their homes, but Kimiko believes one thing remains irreplaceable—her memories.
“Every chuckle, every story he shared.”
“He was an intelligent man, reading the LA Times from beginning to end and taking daily walks around the Rose Bowl.”
“He was healthy and ambitious… yet he went to sleep and passed away in his bed right there.”
