Palisades Fire survivor still overcome by emotions 6 months after losing family home

CBS News

6 days ago

It's been six months since the wildfires erupted across Los Angeles County.
KCAL News has been committed to staying in touch with the people we met during those difficult times as they rebuild. A reporter met Pacific Palisades resident Rob Hoover on Jan. 8 while his 3-bedroom home on Jacon Way was still burning.
"I don't understand how this could happen here," Hoover said at the time.
He was visibly shaken, after spending hours biking up the hill, praying he'd find an heirloom or anything to take back to his daughter.
"All of her stuff from when she was born is just gone," he said as he watched his house still burning. "I came back to see if I can get a tool or something out of here, nothing."
In the last six months, half his property has been cleared. Walking up to what was the front door, he took a moment to absorb it all, noticing the Christmas lights somehow survived, but nothing else.
As Hoover walked around the empty lot six months later, the emotions were still heavy.
Hoover knows the winds were strong and he knew the risks, but he still wonders why he didn't see any help.
"Not one truck, not one fireman up my street and up Enchanted, not one," he said with anger in his voice. "I mean that's ridiculous. Come on."
His temporary home is now a 40-minute drive south. It's a small furnished apartment, costing almost three times his monthly mortgage where his dog Oakley wasn't welcome.
"Finding a place that accepts pets really narrows it down," he explained.
Oakley is staying at Hoover's parents' home while they rebuild their lives. But he said their to-do list is seemingly endless.
"Getting our lot cleared, getting it tested by the EPA, getting our mail forwarded, getting school figured out," Hoover said.
On top of all of the other expenses and issues, he still has to pay property taxes and battle with his home insurance company.
"The fact that we're getting nickel and dimed, it's unacceptable," he said.
Hoover puts on a brave face for his now 13-year-old daughter who he said is taking the situation surprisingly well. Desperate to find a sense of normalcy, he searched for her very first stuffed animal.
"We were actually looking for a stroller and I saw this and so I ended up buying for her and they don't make it anymore so I found it on eBay so that she could have something to remember," he said.
Some days the reality is too hard to bear and it's difficult to look ahead into the future. Many of his neighbors have had to sell their land.
Hoover hopes to rebuild one day but wonders if it's even worth it.
"Best case scenario we have to live somewhere else for four years then my daughter is out of high school so what's the point," Hoover said.
If this calamity has taught him anything, he said it's to trust your gut, be proactive and love your family.
"Go find everything that means something to you and make sure you know where it's at. If you can put it all together one place that's great, because when the time comes, and you have to leave and you don't have time to go and get the stuff you're going to regret it," he said. "Number two is take care of your children because this is really hard. It's hard on me and it's got to be hard on them.