In February Kids From Fame Media posts will be Celebrating:
"Dearest Family &
Friends
I haven’t had the words
to express what I’ve been experiencing here in Los Angeles… My home is 10 miles
from the Eaton Fire that destroyed Altadena and parts of Pasadena. It has been
a journey of high anxiety and being ready to leave my home at a moments notice.
I also have a new understanding of the importance of clearing away brush, dried
leaves and dead limbs on trees, and how very important that is for the survival
of your home and property.
I’ve had experiences
that made me feel connected to my neighbors and to the LA DWP ( Dept. of Water
& Power) who came and fixed a street lamp in front of my house. I called
them the night of the high winds because the glass top was teetering and looked
very precarious and potentially fire causing… I was very appreciative.
Then a tree in my front
yard had some limbs growing over 2 electrical cables and I got my ladder out
and cut them down with the help of my neighbor spotting me. I couldn’t reach
the top piece and asked a gentleman who was working on the cell tower in my
neighborhood and he cut the remainder off. He then pulled out his saw and cut
it up into small pieces for me. His simple act of kindness meant so much.
My internal self is
still on high alert till we get through to Wednesday because the winds are
supposed to pick up again starting today.
I feel profound
appreciation and gratitude to the first responders, fireman/firewomen and the
incarcerated firemen/fire women who are “holding the line”. That term “holding
the line” has a whole new meaning for me when you are so close to a fire.
I have friends who have
lost everything— their homes, musical instruments, compositions— and it breaks
my heart to hear their stories. Their homes held years of family history and
yet they are grateful to have their lives and incredible community. We are
going to be here to lift them up no matter how long it takes!
I was also moved by an
experience about two women in my Buddhist community who lost their home. They
had been chanting 3 hours a day before the fire, and my friend met with them
and said you wouldn’t have known they had lost their home because of how
determined they were to turn the situation around…. I realized in that moment
everything is one’s outlook and one’s life condition.
— I am in no way saying
people shouldn’t grieve in the way they need to— I have no judgement here… I
was just amazed at their response.
I am also posting
volunteer opportunities, donation opportunities, and places that are offering
assistance to people in need. I will keep everyone updated as time goes on because
this is going to be a quite a process to rebuild to restore.
Check out what the air
quality was the day after the initial burn with the high winds, and where we
are today.
I am grateful to the
Watch Duty app, which gives you updates on the progress of the containment the
fire, and every time I see the percentage go up, my gratitude deepens for all
the people working 24 hours to contain these fires. I’m profoundly grateful.
On a personal note,
I’ve had a reaction to the amount of smoke I inhaled when I was outside cutting
the tree, so I’ve needed to stay indoors
with air purifiers to ease the coughing. But I will be out there volunteering
and supporting in anyway I can.
Please continue to send
your prayers to Southern California—for protection, for that the winds calm,
that we get through Wednesday safely, and for the much needed rain to finally
come.
Peace & Love,
Erica☮"
“Hello all. I thought I would update the situation on my
end. Thanks to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and concern over the
horrible disaster out here. I evacuated and am safely at a friend's house away
from Topanga. I have my pets with me. We are doing ok. There are some fires in
Topanga threatening certain areas and a lot of water drops. So far my house is
still standing. Friends in the Palisades and Malibu have lost theirs. I am so
saddened by this and all the others who are going through this hell. Houses,
businesses, and restaurants as you know, iconic go to places I have enjoyed for
decades, are gone..... Firefighters are doing all they can. Peace.”
A week later Eric posted an update:
"Thought I would post an update. I'm back in my house finally. Sheriff was letting residents of certain zones back into Topanga. My house is ok. There is still a hard closure most of the time as well as a curfew. Police will arrest and fine anyone on the roads unless they prove they are evacuating. Hopefully they'll lift that soon. So, it's shelter in place between 6pm and 6am. Some neighbors are back, but many are staying away until there is a complete all clear. More strong winds are expected Monday. Kola is enjoying sniffing around her street on our walks. Such tragic times for so many folks and friends who have lost their houses. Fingers crossed."
Olivia Posted:
"I guess I’m safe for
now … but definitely not ok.. ha!
I’ve gotta pack a Go
Bag and I still don’t know where to go…
Gonna make myself
something to eat…
Thanks everybody for
checking in with me.”
“We’re safe in my DTLA zone… and yeah… it’s my birthday wooohoooo!”.
Other Fame related people haven't been so lucky.
The Waters back vocalist group who appeared on the Fame albums and performed with the cast during the 80s concerts weren't so lucky. Oren Waters posted:
“The Waters Family would like to thank all of our family and friends for your thoughts and prayers. As many of you may know, Maxine and I lost our homes in Altadena in the fires. By the grace of God, Julia’s home was spared. Although this has been a devastating experience for our family losing our homes we’ve had for over 50 years and seeing our neighbors enduring the same pain, we are thankful to be alive and well. We would also like to send our love and prayers of comfort and peace to all who are suffering due to this horrific situation. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we move forward to rebuild our lives. Thank you…”
Oren Was interviewed for a local news article giving more details about the situation.
Erica Gimpel posted to support the GoFundMe Campaign set up to help Oren and Maxine.
Donate to Waters Family GoFundMe
Starr Parodi who was one of the background musicians who played keyboards particularly in season 3 also wasn't so lucky. Starr posted:
"Dear friends - thank you so much for all the love you have shown us and checking in/keeping in touch/kind and loving words. It's with a very heavy and broken heart that I share that our home and studio including my beloved 1928 Steinway B piano was totally destroyed in the Palisades fire. We are a very tightknit community where Jeff & I have lived and worked for 25 years and most of my neighbors/friends also lost their homes.
My piano was
originally from the MGM soundstage and is said that the Wizard of Oz score was
recorded on it. I loved that it had several of pieces of gum stuck under the
keyboard bed and I imagined so often who that gum may have belonged to from
those glory days of MGM.
I have been blessed
to be able to play it and record with it for over 25 years and - warm and rich
and always giving me inspiration, it is absolutely the most beautiful sounding
piano I have ever put my hands on. I have recorded with it on so many albums as
well as thousands film trailers/films/episodes of TV. Also my daughter has grown up playing this
piano and has recorded on it too, so I am encouraged that the sound of it will
live on through these recordings.
I also lost all my
written music, scores, notes, artwork, etc... synths, ourboard gear and
original 24 track tapes for some iconic recordings we did for the Bond Theme,
Mission Impossible and so many others.
Everything happened
so fast. We were literally setting up for a session and 30 minutes later
getting an mandatory evac. notice. The fire swept though our whole community
like a fire storm seen in movies.
My heart and
sympathies go out to all the other artists/neighbors/friends and loved ones who
also lost their homes. The destruction was massive and unprecedented Grateful for my whole family to be safe and
us to be together. Also grateful to dear friends Laura and Nora for sharing
their home with us."
“To My Los Angeles Community,The dark, smoky winds will clear, leaving much devastation, loss, and pain, but we will see each other more clearly and have Hope in the unity we have found to help us move forward and heal. We will STAND IN THE LIGHT”.
Debbie also appeared on the Jennifer Hudson show discussing her Dancing in the Light events benefiting the people affected by the Fires.
Nia Peeples posted a video:
Wishing Everyone a Happy and Safe Month,
Mark.
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