A year after the California wildfires claimed her son, Shelley Sykes honors his memory with a three-foot Phoenix statue on her Malibu estate.
> At a Glance
> – Shelley Sykes erected a 3-foot Phoenix statue on her Malibu estate to honor her son Rory, who died in the wildfires at age 32
> – Rory, born blind with cerebral palsy, regained his sight and learned to run, inspiring others with his resilience
> – Shelley now lives in a tiny house on her property without water or electricity, awaiting permits and insurance money to rebuild
> – Why it matters: The memorial symbolizes hope and resilience for families affected by the devastating wildfires
A Mother’s Tribute
On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the devastating California wildfires, Shelley Sykes erected a three-foot tall Phoenix statue on her Malibu estate as a memorial to her son Rory Callum Sykes, who was 32 when he died in a cottage on his family’s property that burned in the blaze.
Below the Phoenix statue, she placed some of her son’s ashes.
> “A year has flown by, but it’s been super tough,” Shelley, now 63, tells News Of Los Angeles. “You never lose it, you never forget your baby. He was my miracle baby.”
Rory’s Inspiring Journey
Shelley’s son was born blind with cerebral palsy – and while doctors feared he would never see or walk, he regained his sight and eventually learned to run.
> “Rory said, ‘It isn’t what happens to you in life that counts. It’s what you do about it that matters,'” she says.
The Night of the Fire
Fire conditions near Mount Malibu – the 17-acre estate that Shelley built especially for her son – began ramping up around 10:30 p.m. local time on Jan. 7. Hours later, the Happy Charity founder said they were told to evacuate, but the pair, like many others, stayed put.
As the Palisades fire approached their 17-acre estate, Shelley hid in her home, regularly peaking out to check on the cuckoo clock-shaped chalet where her son lived on the property. (She previously told News Of Los Angeles he told her to “leave me” in his cottage and “sort yourself out,” as she kept an increasingly worried eye on him.)
When Shelley saw sparks on the roof of her son’s cottage, she ran outside and grabbed the hose, but there was no water.
She banged on the door, but it was locked – and although she rushed to get help, by the time they got back to her property, it was too late.
Detectives told her her son died of carbon monoxide poisoning, she says.
Life After Loss
In the year after her son’s death, Shelley has been living in a tiny house on her property that didn’t burn down in the fire.
> “I’ve been healing on the land,” she says, “and a bit of a recluse.”
She doesn’t have running water or electricity and goes to a friend’s house to bathe and do laundry. At night, she sleeps wearing five pairs of socks and a second-hand coat in order to stay warm.
She still hasn’t gotten the permits and insurance money to rebuild her home, but is grateful to still have a place of her own to stay.
Memorial and Legacy
She also hosted a memorial service for her son on their shared birthday: July 29.
> “I was emotional, but I held it together,” she says. “It was just beautiful.”
To commemorate the anniversary of her son’s death, she was invited to attend the Palisades Veteran’s Club with families of 12 others who lost loved ones.
> “I shall be there and try to put a brave face on,” she says. “But no doubt I’ll burst into tears the minute they mention my Rory.”
Future Plans
As for the future, she plans to relaunch her charity and someday, to fulfill her son’s dream to build a “happy home” on the property for children who don’t have homes.
Additionally, she hopes to continue writing books – and updating her son’s book, Callum’s Cure, with “a final chapter” – in an effort to help teach children about compassion and kindness, two values her son had an abundance of.
> “I think it’s not how long you live, it’s how you fill your life with love,” she says. “And he was very loving.”
Key Takeaways
- Shelley Sykes honors her son Rory with a Phoenix statue on her Malibu estate
- Rory, who overcame blindness and cerebral palsy, died in the wildfires at age 32
- Shelley lives in a tiny house without water or electricity, awaiting permits and insurance money
- She plans to relaunch her charity and build a “happy home” for children in need
- The memorial symbolizes hope and resilience for families affected by the wildfires
