For students who lost everything in the Palisades fire, life has been disrupted in every way imaginable but many have found strength and resilience through the support of their communities.
“I lost everything, and I’m okay,” Mae Andrews said. “My entire life, I've had really bad anxiety. It would get to the point where I couldn't go to school. After the fire, I wasn't having anxiety on a daily basis anymore, which is something I haven't experienced since third grade.”
Like many of Andrews’ peers, she did not learn resilience in any striking cinematic moment but instead in the quiet day-to-day changes she made to rebuild her life.
"If you need to scream, if you need to cry, that's okay, but you can't scream and cry for four months,” she said. “You need to get up."
Sebastian Gonzales, who also lost his home in the fires, said his family is a model for him.
“It’s all about resilience,” he said. “I’ve watched my parents work nonstop in finding us a new place to live, taking care of my family, and keeping a marriage together. I think a lot of kids watched their parents and are finding ways to parallel that strength.”
Gonzales, a sophomore, lost all his instruments in the fire and is now restoring his music collection string by string.
“I lost my guitars and grand piano,” he said. “Gibson sent me a free guitar, and my uncle bought me a Fender, so my guitar collection is starting to come back. In terms of a grand piano, I am still looking for one.”
Gonzales found comfort in helping other displaced families by volunteering at Saint Monica’s.
“It reminded me that everyone’s going through something,” he said.
Sophie Smeeton, a junior at Pali High, had a different experience and process to cope with her losses, using dance as her mode of therapy.
“For me, dance was a great outlet, especially right after the fire. It was the only normalcy I still had in my life, so I took great comfort in that,” she said. “Over time, I feel that I have emotionally moved on. Time does heal, and eventually, you have to face reality and make the best of the situation. However, academically, I have struggled with motivation, especially while doing online school. I have always been a very driven and ambitious person, so this sudden shift was foreign and out of character for me.”
When Theo Tierney lost his home, he also lost his tennis equipment and piano, which was the centerpiece of his musical development.
"I'm continuing to pursue music through the classes I take at Crossroads—music theory and performance," he said. "Just yesterday, I was at an Emmy concert, watching other musicians at Crossroads perform. Being in that space helps.”
Students said they appreciated the support they’ve found from their school.
“When I tell you everybody stepped up, they truly stepped up,” Andrews said.
Classmates arrived at her hotel with bags in hand, and some even door-dashed makeup and toiletries. That's where her community rallied together.
“The most impactful support I received was from TAC. Less than 24 hours after the fire, my whole family had clothes to wear, food to eat, and beds to sleep in, which would not have been possible without the tremendous support from everyone a part of the TAC family,” Smeeton said.
For plenty of young athletes, the loss of equipment means a pause in their sports. However, Tierney’s tennis community would not let that be his story.
"The tennis place where I take lessons was able to give me a racket and shoes," he said. "So I was still able to play because they were so kind to provide me with equipment."
Other students said continued pursuit of activities helped them process the experience.
“It takes a lot to start over,” Connor Shaub said. “It takes a lot to experience trauma and get through it and become a better person for it.”
Shaub, a former Pali cheerleader, is now a dancer.
“Every time I dance, that's not just a step forward away from the fires but also a personal testament to show that I won’t let the fires take away my opportunities to perform.”
He said the experience has taught him good ways to deal with change.
"Change is inevitable in life, and you just have to find the best way to deal with it,” he said. “I found that the best way is through gratitude—being thankful for what you have and everything that you enjoy."