Former child star dies in Palisades fire, mother speaks out
Curtis Nakamura|January 13, 2025
LOS ANGELES (NEXSTAR) – More than a dozen people have died in a wildfire in Los Angeles, authorities confirmed. Her mother confirmed that some of them are former child actors.
Rory Sykes’ mother, Shelley Sykes, said in a post on X that the child actor turned philanthropist and professional speaker passed away on January 8th.
Sykes was born blind and has cerebral palsy, and lived at her parents’ home in Malibu, California. Sykes, 32, died in a fire in the area, his mother said.
Here’s how you can help animals affected by the Los Angeles wildfires
“(Las Vergenes Municipal Water) had turned off the water so I couldn’t use a hose to put out the cinders on the roof,” Sherry Sykes wrote to X, adding that she was “completely heartbroken.” .
The Las Vergenes Municipal Water District denies Sykes’ claims, with a spokesperson telling NBC News: “Water service was continuously available to her property and throughout the surrounding community and was uninterrupted. ” he said.
In an interview with Australian news outlet 10 News First, Shelley Sykes explained that her attempts to save Rory were limited by her broken arm.
“I couldn’t lift him or move him,” she explained. Authorities determined that Rory Sykes died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Doctors initially believed Mr Sykes, who was born in the UK and raised in Australia, “would never see or walk due to injuries sustained in a car accident while in the womb,” according to his website. He says he was thinking about it. But after several surgeries, Sykes was able to see and walk again.
As a child, Sykes was the host of the British television show Kiddie Capers, which was created by his mother. He soon realized he didn’t like “life in front of the camera” and became a “philanthropist, investor, gamer, developer, founder, speaker, and mentor,” his website says. explained.
As of Sunday morning, authorities had confirmed 16 deaths related to wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Five of the fires were attributed to the Palisades fire, and 11 others were attributed to the Eaton fire. The death toll is expected to rise further as teams with cadaver dogs carry out systematic grid searches in cleared areas.
For continued coverage of the Los Angeles wildfires, stay with KTLA.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LA Highlight Contributor
Covers technology, business, and national affairs, following the companies and policy shaping the region.
This article features partner, contributor, or branded content from a third party. Members of the LA Highlight editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content. All views and opinions are those of the contributor alone.
