Mesa family raises funds for relatives who lost home in Eaton Fire

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The impact of the California wildfires is hitting close to home for many in Arizona with loved ones in Los Angeles.

One Mesa family, in particular, is feeling the devastation and loss.

Photos paint the picture of a happy home filled with countless family meals, celebrations and memories. But now, it’s all ash. A brick fireplace is the only thing left standing.

“It’s all so unbelievable,” said Kathleen Palma, who lives in Mesa.

She said her sister-in-law Reina lived in Altadena, California, for a decade, and her fiancé Alex recently moved in.

The Eaton Fire not only destroyed the place where they planned to build their lives together, but it also wiped out their entire neighborhood.

“She said the post office, the police station, all the homes ... Everything is gone,” said Palma.

Both made it out alive but lost just about everything they owned.

“By the time it got to full evacuations they went back to retrieve her car and the windows were blowing out with fire and she wrapped her hands with her hoodie and put on a N95 and drove her car that was half melted and on fire out of there,” said Palma. “She said it was just devastating trying to drive in California traffic fighting back the tears knowing that everything they have is in there.”

Palma says her relatives haven’t been allowed back since. More than a week later, law enforcement said it’s still unsafe.

They’re still processing the pain and the reality of starting over.

“They need everything and they don’t know where to start and of course you can’t even start until you have a place to land. So, they’re really starting from the ground up and are just devastated,” she said.

This family has been through so much, even before this tragic fire.

Reina is a breast cancer survivor, and her mom recently died. All of her mom’s belongings were also lost to the flames.

If you’re interested in helping the couple, Palma started a fundraiser to offer support.

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