(LOS ANGELES) — Family members have begun to identify the residents who were killed in the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
At least 24 people have been killed.
Here is what we know about the victims:
Randall Miod
Randall “Randy” Miod, 55, was killed in the Palisades Fire in Malibu, according to his mother, Carol Smith.
In his 20s, Miod bought his beloved apartment in Malibu that became known as the “Crab Shack,” she said.
“It was beyond rustic! He loved that place,” she said. “There was always a party. … Randy was the party!”
“He enrolled at Santa Monica City College and graduated with an AA degree in photography. He did some professional photography in addition to his hospitality work,” Smith said. “He had an artistic side to him, as well. He could draw, paint and play the drums.”
Smith said she last spoke to her son on the phone the day the Palisades Fire erupted.
“He sounded like he was on the verge of tears. I told him, ‘Grab your cat and go to a shelter. Please don’t make me worry about you, again,'” Smith said. “He said, ‘No mom, I don’t trust the fire department and I have a hose.’ His last words to me that day were, ‘Pray for the Palisades and pray for Malibu. I love you.'”
“The fire came through and burned his beloved ‘Crab Shack’ to the ground,” Smith said. “He had been through so many fires in the 30 years he lived there he, most likely, thought this fire would be like all the others and he would come through it unscathed.”
“He will be remembered for his kindness, his loving spirit, his generosity, his laughter, the encouragement he gave others, for working hard and playing hard,” she said.
“He became a legend in Malibu,” she said. “He lived and died in the place he loved the most.”
Rory Sykes
Rory Sykes, 32, also died in the Palisades Fire, according to his mother, Shelley Sykes.
The mother and son both lived on her property in Malibu, with Rory in his own cottage built for special needs for his cerebral palsy, she said.
Shelley Sykes said she tried to get her son to evacuate with her, but he didn’t want to. As the air became thick with smoke, she said shekept trying to get Rory out, and he told her no. Rory was 6 foot 5 inches tall so she couldn’t carry him.
She said she tried to go get help, but when she returned, she found her home burned to the ground.
“It was like Armageddon,” she said. “It looked like a bomb had gone off,” she said.
“Courageous” Rory was in hospitals half of his childhood and had many operations over the years, Shelley Sykes said.
“I was the luckiest, the luckiest mom,” she told ABC News through tears. “He was so loving. He was a whiz kid.”
Arthur Simoneau
Arthur Simoneau, 69, also died in the Palisades Fire, according to his ex-wife, Jill.
Despite their divorce, they still spent holidays together with their son, Andre, she told ABC News.
Simoneau was an avid adventurer and had been hang gliding since his early 20s, according to Jill, who added that he loved to rock climb and kayak. They took Andre everywhere on their travels, she said, even when he was just a toddler.
During the evacuations, he stayed behind in the house he built, according to Jill.
“He did everything except lay the foundation and weld the steel beams,” she said. “That’s why he wouldn’t leave.”
Anthony and Justin Mitchell
Hajime White told ABC News that her father, Anthony, and brother Justin, were killed in the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Both had disabilities and were in wheelchairs and were waiting for an ambulance to transport them to relatives, White told ABC News.
White said her father called her the morning of the fires, saying he knew the fire had broken out and he had to evacuate. He told her he loved her, and then all of a sudden, he said, “Baby, I gotta go. The fire is in the yard,” White said.
“And that’s the last words I have from my dad,” she said.
Anthony was an amputee and lived with Justin who had cerebral palsy, according to White.
Anthony had several grandchildren and welcomed two great-grandchildren last year, according to his daughter.
“He was a great man. A great dad that any little girl could want,” she said.
White said Justin was very smart and enjoyed reading, especially the newspaper with their dad.
“He’d try his hardest to say ‘hi.’ He tried to tell me he loved me,” White said of her brother.
Victor Shaw
Victor Shaw died he died in a heroic attempt to protect his home in Altadena, his sister Shari Shaw, told ABC News.
Victor Shaw lived in the family home since 1965, and had health issues that impacted his mobility, according to his sister.
“I can’t imagine what he might have been thinking, how he might have been so frightened,” Shari Shaw said.
Charles Mortimer
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed that 84-year-old Charles Mortimer was among those killed in the fires.
Mortimer’s family said he “truly lived life to its fullest.”
“He was a world traveler, a sun worshipper and an avid sports fan,” the family said, adding that he was happy to see his “beloved” Chicago Cubs win the World Series.
“He will be remembered as a man with a quick wit, a brilliant mind, and a love for his family. His infectious smile and never-ending sense of humor will be greatly missed by his friends and family all over the world,” the family said.
ABC News’ Sean Keane and Mola Lenghi contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
