Mother shares heartbreaking story of leaving her disabled son, a former child star, behind in LA wildfires due to frailty.
A heartbreaking story has emerged from the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, where a former child star lost his life.
Rory Callum Sykes was a 32-year-old disabled man who lived in a cottage on his mother’s property in Malibu.
He faced a tragic end during the devastating fire.
The disabled man is a former child star
Rory was born with cerebral palsy and was blind.
Despite these challenges, he lived a full life and was known for his appearances on the Australian TV show “Kiddy Kapers.”
His mother, Shelley Sykes, described him as a wonderful son who overcame many obstacles.
Rory had undergone several surgeries and therapies to help him see and walk, and he often spoke about his dreams of traveling the world with his mother.
Mother reveals heartbreaking final moments of disabled son before dying in LA wildfires
On the day of the fire, Rory was at home when flames quickly surrounded his cottage.
Shelley, who was suffering from a broken arm at the time, rushed to get help for her son.
She struggled to reach emergency services, as the phone lines were down.
In desperation, she drove to her local fire station, which was only a short distance away.
Unfortunately, when she arrived, she was shocked to learn that the firefighters had no water available to fight the blaze.
In a heartbreaking moment, Rory told his mother, “Mum, leave me.”
Shelley was unable to lift him due to her injury, and no mother should have to make such a choice.
She returned to find that her son’s cottage had been reduced to ashes.
Rory tragically died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
‘He said, “Mum, leave me”, and no mum can leave their kid, and I’ve got a broken arm. I couldn’t lift him. I couldn’t move him,’ she revealed.
‘He was my baby, and he died needlessly,’ the mother added. ‘Guess what didn’t work? 911. All the phone lines were down.’
Shelley Sykes continues to mourn the loss of her son.
She shared her grief on social media, expressing that Rory was her baby and he died needlessly.
She shared the issues with emergency services during the fire, emphasizing how important it is for systems to be reliable in times of crisis.
‘I’m totally heartbroken,’ his mother said in a heartfelt post on social media.
‘Despite the pain, he still enthused about travelling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica,’ she wrote.
‘I couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off by Las Virgenes Municipal Water,’ she said.
‘Even the 50 brave firefighters had no water all day!’
The impact of LA wildfires
The wildfires in Los Angeles have caused widespread devastation, destroying over 12,000 homes and claiming many lives.
As the flames spread, the local community rallied to support those affected.
Several celebrities have shared their experiences and offered assistance to those displaced by the fires.
Celebrities are actively supporting wildfire victims and recovery.
Jason Oppenheim, a star from the reality show “Selling Sunset,” has been actively helping fire victims.
He noted that many landlords were taking advantage of the situation by raising rental prices, which he described as illegal and unethical.
Oppenheim offered to represent those who lost their homes without charging them.
Many celebrities have also lost their homes in the wildfires.
Paris Hilton started an emergency fund to support families affected by the fires, donating $100,000 to kickstart the effort.
Other stars like Jennifer Garner and Mel Gibson have been involved in various relief activities, helping to provide food and shelter for evacuees.
The community’s response to the wildfires has been an outpouring of love and support.
Celebrities have used their platforms to raise awareness and encourage donations to help those in need.
Fundraising events, such as the upcoming “FireAid” concert, aim to gather resources for rebuilding efforts and to prevent future disasters.