W17: Memories Saved In The Pacific Palisades Fire
When the devastating 2024 California wildfires tore through Los Angeles, Dr. Tony Nesburn had no choice but to flee—leaving behind a home filled with memories of his late wife, Crissie. He assumed everything was lost. But weeks later, he returned to find his house miraculously still standing, marked with a pink ribbon and a letter from the El Segundo Fire Department. Against all odds, firefighters had fought to save his home, unknowingly preserving a lifetime of love and memories. This episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes, fate—and the kindness of strangers—step in when we least expect it.
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W17: MEMORIES SAVED IN THE PACIFIC PALISADES FIRE
WHEN SOMEONE LOSES THE ONE PERSON THEY SHARED THEIR LIFETIME WITH, HOLDING ON TO SOME OF THE PHYSICAL REMINDERS IS OFTEN SO IMPORTANT. THESE THINGS GO WELL BEYOND THEIR MONETARY VALUE OR EVEN THE WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE THEM. THE LOCKET HE GAVE HER WHEN THEY WERE DATING. THE LITTLE MAGNETS THEY PICKED OUT TOGETHER FROM EVERY NEW COUNTRY THEY VISITED. SCRAPBOOKS FILLED WITH PHOTOS WITH BACKSTORIES ONLY THE TWO OF THEM WOULD UNDERSTAND.
AS TIME GOES ON, AND MEMORIES START TO FADE, THESE PHYSICAL THINGS CAN BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT – OFTEN ASSISTING PEOPLE TO DRIFT BACK IN TIME TO A MEMORY WITH THEIR LOVED ONE THAT HADN’T BEEN ACCESSED IN YEARS.
THIS IS A STORY ABOUT SOMEONE WHO THOUGHT HE HAD LOST ALL OF THE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT CONNECTED HIM TO THE PERSON HE SPENT A LIFE WITH – ONLY TO LEARN THAT FATE, AND SOME COURAGEOUS FIREFIGHTERS, WERE ON HIS SIDE.
EPISODE
DR. TONY NESBURN IS A RETIRED DOCTOR WHO HAS SPENT THE MAJORITY OF HIS LIFE IN THE PACIFIC PALISADES NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOS ANGELES. IT WAS WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE, CRISTINA KENNEY, WHO WENT BY CRISSIE, RAISED A FAMILY AND THEN STAYED IN THE HOME TO ENJOY RETIREMENT TOGETHER. ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE PARTS OF THE HOUSE WAS THE BACK DECK, WHICH PROVIDED TONY AND CRISSIE A PLACE TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL WITH A CALMING, BREATHTAKING VIEW OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2024, THEY LOST CRISSIE.
AFTER SHE PASSED, TONY KNEW IT WAS PROBABLY APPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO DOWNSIZE INTO A SMALLER HOME, BUT HE STRUGGLED TO PART WAYS WITH THE PLACE THAT HOUSED A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES.
IN EARLY JANUARY, WHEN TRAGEDY STRUCK THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CALIFORNIA AND WILDFIRES SWEPT ACROSS THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, FUELED BY DRY CONDITIONS AND THE SANTA ANA WINDS, TONY WAS ONE OF MANY PEOPLE FACED WITH A DIFFICULT DECISION.
THE FIRE WAS TOO INTENSE, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IT LETTING UP, AND IT WAS COMING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO HIS PROPERTY.
TONY HADN’T PREPARED TO LEAVE, BUT, IN AN INSTANT, HE FOUND HIMSELF MAKING THE CALL TO WALK AWAY FROM EVERYTHING ON THE EARTH THAT STILL CONNECTED HIM TO THE MEMORY OF HIS WIFE.
IT WASN’T UNTIL TWO WEEKS LATER THAT HE WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING LEFT OF HIS PROPERTY.
AS HE DROVE DOWN THE STREET TO THE SIGHT OF NOTHING BUT RUBBEL AND DEBRIS, HE WAS RENDERED SPEECHLESS TO FIND HIS HOME WAS ONE OF THE ONLY HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD STILL STANDING.
HE MANAGED HIS EMOTIONS, WALKED UP TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, AND PAUSED. HE NOTICED A PINK RIBBON WAS ATTACHED TO THE SIDE. HE LOOKED DOWN AT THE MAILBOX AND FOR SOME REASON, OPENED IT. HE WAS SURPRISED TO FIND A HANDWRITTEN LETTER.
IT READ:
“WE ARE SO SORRY FOR THE DEVASTATION YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ENDURED. IT IS TRULY HEARTBREAKING, AND WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE TOLL IT HAS TAKEN ON EVERYONE AFFECTED.
IT BROUGHT US GREAT RELIEF TO SEE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE YOUR HOUSE. THE HOUSE TO THE RIGHT OF YOURS WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE AND BURNING THE FENCE, ABOUT TO CATCH YOUR HOUSE ON FIRE.
WE STOPPED THE FIRE FROM BURNING THROUGH YOUR SIDE DOOR AND KEPT THE FIRE FROM YOUR DECK AND ROOF.
SINCE THEN, OUR AMAZING TEAM HAS FOUND SOLACE ON YOUR DECK, GAZING OUT AT THE BEAUTIFUL PACIFIC OCEAN. IT HAS OFFERED A MOMENT OF CALM AMIDST THE CHAOS.
THE PINK RIBBON, IF IT IS STILL THERE, MEANS THE HOUSE WAS A SAVE – AND IT GAVE US GREAT PRIDE TO HANG IT.
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS AS YOU REBUILD AND RECOVER.
WITH LOVE AND SUPPORT,
EL SEGUNDO FIRE DEPT. ENGINE 31 “C” PLATOON
SIGNED….LEVI, STEVE, MATT, AND JASON”
TONY WALKED BACK INTO HOME AND FOUND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK A LIFETIME TO COLLECT WITH CRISSIE, THE THINGS HE WASN’T QUITE READY TO PART WITH, STILL IN THEIR PLACE.
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR TONY AND HIS FAMILY TO REACH OUT TO THE EL SEGUNDO FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHEN THEY FINALLY MET UP, THE FIREFIGHTERS SHARED PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES IN THEIR GEAR, TAKING A BREAK ON TONY AND CRISSIE’S BACK DECK.
IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE PHOTOS WAS THIS ETHEREAL GLOW CAUSED BY THE COMBINATION OF SMOKE AND SUN, ALMOST AS IF THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE SURROUNDED BY AN ENERGY THAT WAS HELPING THEM PROTECT THIS ONE HOUSE THAT PROVIDED SOME CALM AMIDST THE CHAOS…A HOME FILLED WITH MEMORIES THAT MAYBE WEREN’T QUITE READY TO DISAPPEAR.