Pasadena senior Naira Wadley will ride a Rose Parade float before the anniversary of the January Eaton Fire that destroyed her home. Her resilience story inspires hope.
A Personal Journey to the Rose Court
Wadley is one of the coveted members of the Rose Court, a group of students chosen to represent their schools in the iconic parade. The selection process is highly competitive, and Wadley’s inclusion is a testament to her resilience and community spirit.
The fire, which swept through the Eaton neighborhood in January, destroyed the home where Wadley’s family had lived for 16 years. “The first months are always the hardest, but 10 months in, I think my life has changed enough for me to not forget, but replace those feelings with more happiness,” Wadley told reporters.
A Mother’s Perspective
Natasha Brown, Wadley’s mother, shared her thoughts on NBC4 while standing on the cleared property that once housed her family’s home. “It’s a place where you were walking down a street and you knew your neighbors. and that’s community,” Brown said.
She added, “It’s for the city. It’s for us. It’s for all of us. It’s for all the girls who look like her. It’s for everyone who thinks that, you know, when you lose everything, you lose everything. It’s not the truth. This is for the resiliency of this community,” Brown said about seeing her daughter on the Rose Court.
Future Aspirations
Beyond the parade, Wadley is focused on her future plans. “I want to go to school to become a nurse and maybe I want to get into the acting or film industry and I want to become rich,” she said. “Ok, but the reason I want to become rich is to come back and create a humanitarian center for homeless residents because I know what it’s like and I think that these people deserve as much respect as possible and they need to be treated as humans.”
Key Takeaways
- Naira Wadley, a senior at John Muir High School, will ride a float in the 2026 Rose Parade.
- The parade occurs just days before the anniversary of the January Eaton Fire that destroyed her family’s home.
- Wadley’s mother, Natasha Brown, emphasizes community resilience and the importance of remembering the past.
- Wadley plans to pursue nursing, acting, and aims to build a humanitarian center for homeless residents.
The story of Wadley’s journey from a devastating fire to a celebrated parade float serves as a powerful reminder of hope, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the Eaton community.
Hi, I’m Ethan R. Coleman, a dedicated journalist and content creator at newsoflosangeles.com — your trusted source for the latest news, insights, and stories from Los Angeles and beyond.
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