From Legacy to Ashes: Altadena Family Vows to Rebuild After Eaton Fire Devastates Generations of Memories
Once filled with love and light, the Vance Family home—host to countless backyard barbecues and irreplaceable childhood memories in Altadena, California—is now a shadow of its former self, covered in soot, ash, and debris. The Eaton Fire, one of four active wildfires in Los Angeles County in early January 2025, is to blame for its devastating demise.
"This was our rock," says Rand Vance Sr., recounting his upbringing in the 900-square-foot home he shared with his parents and two brothers. "This was where love had a foundation."
In 1967, a 12-year-old Rand Sr. watched his parents plant roots in Altadena, then a community that was 95 percent White. Decades later, after the birth of his only child, Rand Vance II, he returned to the home to raise his son. By the 1990s, the Altadena neighborhood had evolved into a thriving, predominantly Black, middle-class community with 39 percent Black homeowners.
Rand Sr. inherited the family home after his parents' passing. No longer wanting to live alone, and with his son eager to give his own children the same enriching community that had shaped him, Rand Sr. welcomed Rand II, his wife Jessica, and their three young sons back into the house.
"Why not let [my sons] grow up in the home I grew up in?" says Rand II. "[I'm] the third generation, and [my sons] are going to be the fourth to own this property… That was my goal."
Rand Sr. had hoped to spend 2025 enjoying his retirement, his growing grandchildren, and the newly renovated home, designed to accommodate the entire family.
"We finally got it settled in, where we were all comfortable and everything," he reflects. "Then [the Eaton Fire] happened. It’s devastating."
Living near Eaton Canyon for over half a century, Rand Sr. was no stranger to the intense Santa Ana winds and occasional wildfires, but they rarely crept beyond the mountain range. When the Eaton Fire sparked on Tuesday, January 7, he initially dismissed it as a distant threat.
However, strong winds prompted Rand II to evacuate himself, his wife, and their children that evening. They left with little more than the clothes on their backs and assumed they’d return the next day. They had to leave behind family photo albums, toys, and treasured possessions.
By 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, Rand Sr. could smell thick smoke in the air and saw flames advancing down his street. Only then did he grab a small bag with his medications and evacuate. Still, he remained optimistic that the fire wouldn’t reach his home, believing it to be too far away.
"It would have had to burn a whole lot of houses to get to us," Rand Sr. recalls. "[The flames] were a mile and a half, two miles from where we were… Little did I know, it was possible."
By 5:30 p.m. that same day, Rand Sr. was stunned when a neighbor called to tell him that the Eaton Fire had consumed their multi-generational family home.
When the family returned to their property to assess the damage, the sight was unrecognizable. Decades of history and priceless artifacts—including the urn holding Rand Sr.’s mother’s ashes—were lost in the rubble.
Though overcome with grief, the Vance family remains grateful to have each other and their faith to sustain them. Regular mental health check-ins are now a vital part of staying grounded through this crisis.
"Hang on and stay close to one another," Rand Sr. advises fellow Altadena neighbors. "As long as you’ve got your life and each other, you can [rebuild] it all."
Despite the loss, Rand Sr. views this tragedy as just another chapter in the Vance family story—one that will be passed down for generations. The journey to rebuild their 58-year legacy will be long, but they are determined to preserve their family’s history and maintain generational wealth.
"This land has to be here for my son and my grandchildren," says Rand Sr.
Please help the Vance family rebuild their lives by donating to Mr. Vance Sr. and Rand II.