Michael Grey visits an emergency supply distribution site in Pacific Palisades to pick up relief supplies after his home was severely damaged due to wildfire. As people look to salvage anything they can, Red Cross volunteer teams are there, providing relief supplies such as masks, gloves, clean-up kits, tarps, snacks and water. As of January 31, more than 102,000 relief supplies have already been provided.
When Michael Grey evacuated from his townhouse in Pacific Palisades on January 7, 2025, with his wife and eight-year-old daughter, they thought they might be able to return home in just a few hours or maybe a couple days. Now, more than three weeks later, wildfires have indelibly altered their beloved community. Although their home is still standing, many others are not.
"When we came back and saw all the rubble and burned down condominiums, we thought that for sure ours was gone [too],” said Michael. “The towns we drive through on a daily basis are just not there. Every time you pass through, you think maybe this time I’ll see it, maybe it’ll be different, maybe it’ll all be back. And then it’s just not.”
Before the wildfires began, the Grey family had been excitedly awaiting their daughter’s performance in a local children’s theatre production of Crazy for You and enjoying time with their newly adopted dog, Kona. The family enjoyed going on hikes together, as the rewards of a new vista consistently won out over the allure of a cozy bed on a weekend morning.
Now, they are taking life day by day, working to recover after smoke and ash infiltrated every corner of their home. The same Santa Ana winds that fueled the wildfire, with gusts reported as high as 100 miles per hour in some areas, shook their building so hard that cracks formed in the walls, dislodging a vanity and breaking a mirror.
As the Grey family waits for insurance adjusters to process their claims so they can repair the structural damage, all they can do for now is clean up the best they can. Michael recently stopped by a distribution site in nearby Rustic Canyon to pick up some cases of bottled water from the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power as well as some personal protective equipment provided by the American Red Cross. While cleaning up, Michael has tried to focus on what truly matters in life.
"Life is so unpredictable,” said Michael. “We can’t take it for granted. Enjoy every moment, take it in. Spend time with your friends and family, drink that champagne that somebody gave you for your wedding two years ago that you’ve been saving for some reason. Don’t put off the things for later, just do it.”
The American Red Cross, along with partners, has been working around the clock to support people like Michael and his family, whose lives have been upended after two massive wildfires destroyed more than 16,000 structures in California. Hundreds of Red Cross responders are providing food, shelter, emotional care and recovery planning. To help cover urgent expenses, the Red Cross is offering financial assistance to impacted households inside the perimeters of the Eaton, Palisades, Hurst and Kenneth fires. Learn more at redcross.org/gethelp.
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