On January 8, 2025, a former Australian child actor with cerebral palsy tragically lost his life in the Palisades Fire in Malibu, California. Rory Callum Sykes, 32, was unable to escape his family cottage when the fire broke out, with the water supply failing and his mother’s desperate attempts to reach emergency services proving unsuccessful.
The fire started when burning embers landed on the roof of the cottage, located on the Sykes family’s 17-acre property. Rory’s mother, Shelley Sykes, a television production entrepreneur, made frantic attempts to rescue her son. However, a broken arm and a non-functioning water supply hindered her efforts.
Shelley Sykes shared the heartbreaking news on social media. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son to the Malibu fires yesterday,” she wrote. “He overcame so much with surgeries & therapies to regain his sight & to be able to learn to walk. Despite the pain, he still enthused about traveling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica.”
Rory chose to remain in his cottage due to swollen feet and the need for proximity to a bathroom. As the fire escalated, Shelley stayed on the main property, helplessly watching the embers fall on her son’s roof while trying to stay wet with her two peacocks.
Born blind and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Rory had surmounted many physical obstacles through surgeries and therapies. He appeared in episodes of the British television show “Kiddy Kapers,” hosted by his mother, and later became a philanthropist, investor, and developer. He was a co-founder of the “Happy Charity” organization, which aims to provide “Hope, Happiness & Health to those that are Hurting.”
The fire authorities determined that Rory succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. Recalling the agonizing last moments, Shelley told reporters, “He said ‘Mom leave me,’ and no mom can leave their kid. I’ve got a broken arm; I couldn’t lift him; I couldn’t move him.”
In a futile attempt to get help, Shelley drove to the nearest fire station. By the time she returned, the cottage was reduced to “just black ash.” The property, which housed Mount Malibu TV Studios, was completely destroyed.
The water supply crisis resulted from several infrastructure problems. The Santa Ynez Reservoir, a crucial water storage facility holding nearly 117 million gallons, had been offline for about a year due to repairs on its cover, leading to critically low water pressure in the Palisades area.
In response to the fire, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported an unprecedented surge in demand, reaching four times the normal levels for 15 consecutive hours. Many hydrants had little to no water flow, compelling the department to deploy 20 water tankers. These tankers had to be refilled from remote locations, significantly slowing down firefighting efforts.
The devastating fires claimed more lives beyond the Sykes family. Anthony Mitchell and his son Justin, both with disabilities, were among the victims unable to evacuate. The combined death toll from the Palisades and Eaton fires stands at at least 25, with 16 confirmed deaths in the Eaton Fire and nine in the Palisades Fire. Approximately 12,000 structures have been destroyed, and several people are still missing.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the Sykes family. Shelley Sykes has announced plans to rebuild the property as a sanctuary in memory of her son.