Picking up the pieces after a catastrophe can be daunting, often filled with more questions than answers. For many residents of Altadena, this has been their reality for over three months after the Eaton Fire sparked, sending the community into chaos. For some families, especially those with children, starting over means heeding the adage: mind over matter. 

The historic community of Altadena –enriched with a small-town vibe and Black pride– is Terica Roberts' hometown, where she was born and raised, and the place where she has raised her sons, Grayson, 10, who is visually impaired, and Gavin, 16. Then, one night of what many thought was a routine evacuation became their worst fears. Their family home –she built from the ground up– was destroyed by fast-moving flames caused by the Eaton Fire. Later, that event, in addition to the Palisades Fire, would be named one of California’s most dangerous and costly weather events in the United States and is predicted to cost more than $250 million to rebuild both.

Making sense of devastation can be achingly difficult, but Terica's profession as a psychotherapist is opportune. While time has passed, the predicament remains ingrained in the minds of her loved ones, but talking about it openly has helped relieve the fear and anxiety that can be caused by trauma.

“I think they've become a lot easier,” she says of her conversations with her sons about the fire. As a family, they have chosen to “focus on the positive, focus on moving forward” while “being  hopeful for what's to come.”

The lingering impact of the Eaton Fire has had troubling trickle-down effects, triggering wounds of that unnerving day in January that continue to paint an uncertain future, causing Gavin and Grayson to be pressured beyond their years.

When asked in January how he felt seeing the flames and courageously helping his family evacuate, Gavin said the experience was “eye-opening.”

“I’m at a loss for words. I don't think I could really explain it. But you know when it's dangerous,” he continued.

In the days following the emergency, he also expressed that the saddest part was seeing his friends and neighbors move away. 

Then, Grayson, who was “really scared” as the flames neared their home, felt “devastated” because the abode in which he was raised from a baby was gone.  After the fire, the Roberts found shelter in a hotel and are now staying in an Airbnb, a step forward that has relieved some of Gavin's stress.

“At least we're living in Airbnb now, so I'm happy that we're not on the street. It's a great thing.”

Additionally, Grayson, whose sleep pattern was interrupted due to nightmares after the blaze, can now rest more easily.

“It feels good,” says Terica of Grayon’s past bout with night terrors and his ability to sleep better.

For the boys, the unprecedented scale of parameters they’ve experienced in their lives has made their mom proud of how they handle disaster.

“I think they've coped really well. The beginning was the hardest, especially the first two and three days. They've been through so much. COVID. Now this, in their years of schooling. I can't imagine going through school and having to experience all the things that they've experienced,” she says. “I just tell them, ‘I'm proud of you.’ They've been taking it and keeping it moving. I think that’s really something. You have to be as resilient, you have to have tenacity, you have to keep going. I like to reframe it as part of life lessons, and taking the lessons and applying them forward.”

While the family adjusts to a new normal, familiarity remains an obstacle they grapple with daily, from learning new streets to car rides to school, which can now take one hour for morning dropoffs.

For Grayson, learned awareness is pivotal to his success in navigating routine endeavors, but being uprooted from what he had ascertained has now put a strain on those essential skills.

“It's kind of hard not knowing where I am [and] being in a different environment because I pretty much knew every block by heart of Altadena,” he says.

Still, the 10-year-old’s self-determination continues to defy the daily impediments stacked against him.

“He's been really good with his own independence,” Terica points out, which she credits to “thinking about the positive and highlighting the positive.”

Yet, normal activities remain something the family misses, like taking walks with their dog, bike rides, and the kids' collection of RC cars. During the fire, Grayson’s braille equipment was also destroyed. While some fun things have been paused, others have risen to the surface.

In February, Grayson performed on stage at the Black Music Coalition alongside Flavor Flav and was named the foundation’s 2025 Honorary Music Maker. He also attended Rolling Loud with the organization and appeared as a guest with his mom on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

As things continue to look up, the family can cross another major item off their list as they move closer to rebuilding. Recently, Terica found an architect and is in the beginning phases of bringing their new dwelling to life.

To get through this cycle of adversity, Terica credits her family's support as an immense blessing she doesn’t take for granted.

“We've had a lot of community come together and different people reach out and support us. That's been amazing and really positive, and has helped to make this a little easier,” she says.

Grayson also received a drum set from Blink-182’s Travis Barker, and the artist even gave the young music lover a lesson on gripping drumsticks while at a donation event in Los Angeles to benefit fire victims. The 10-year-old was also gifted more musical equipment from Bruno Mars' brother and drummer, Eric Hernandez, aka E-PANDA.

The road to recovery remains a winding journey, and while the family has not experienced any red tape during this process, the therapist believes more should be done to help those in need.

“The conversation needs to continue because we're still unhoused. We still don't have stable placement, which is the case for a lot of people who are sleeping in their cars. A lot of people are still in hotels and have no idea where they're going, what their moves are, especially with the prices of housing right now.”

While their old home is still covered with debris, it’s been approved for cleanup, a process Terica believes is “going pretty quickly.”

“We're surprised at how fast it started,” she continues. “If you drive up, you'll see a lot of properties are already cleared. I think it's going quick, and [they’ve] responded pretty good with the cleaning process.”

As the Roberts put their lives back together, Terica reminds her family that the most significant lesson they’ve grasped through this tragedy is “that everything is replaceable.”

To help the Roberts rebuild, please check out their GoFundMe.