Melissa Rivers is reflecting on the loss of both her family home and cherished memories after her residence was destroyed in the ongoing wildfires sweeping Southern California. The 56-year-old television personality and actress spoke publicly on Jan. 8 about the devastation, revealing that her family is safe, but she has lost irreplaceable mementos tied to her late mother, Joan Rivers, and father, Edgar Rosenberg.
In an emotional interview with CNN, Rivers explained that while her family escaped unharmed, the destruction of her home marks the end of an era in her family’s history. “In my personal situation, that’s it. That is the end of everything that belonged to my family and the history of it,” Rivers said, referring to the legacy of her late mother, Joan, who passed away in 2014, and her father, Edgar, who died in 1987.
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Rivers shared that, in the chaos of the evacuation, she had to make quick decisions about what to take. “To be 100% honest, I grabbed my mom’s Emmy, a photo of my dad, and a drawing my mother had done of my son and me,” she said. “And dog food, cat food, and that was it.”
Reflecting on the decision, Rivers added that she prioritized the drawing over a photo. “It’s amazing what you grab, it’s amazing what you take,” she said. “I went for a drawing of my mother’s rather than a photo, because I know I can find the photos… [the drawing] I can’t replace.”
Rivers, a lifelong Los Angeles resident, also ensured that critical documents such as passports, birth certificates, and medications were safely evacuated, alongside some clothing. “I just was out shopping for clothes, it started to hit me that … we literally just have what’s on our backs,” she said, capturing the emotional weight of the moment.
Earlier on Jan. 8, Rivers shared the news of the loss of her home with her followers on Instagram, offering a glimpse into the pain of the tragedy. “My family and I have safely evacuated, and we are deeply grateful to be unharmed,” she wrote in the post. “I am heartbroken by the devastation caused by the fires, which have tragically destroyed my home 💔.”
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She continued by thanking the firefighters and first responders who have been working tirelessly to contain the blazes. “I want to express my profound gratitude to the courageous firefighters and first responders who are tirelessly risking their lives to protect our communities and save lives.”
Rivers’ loss is part of a broader pattern of devastation in the region, with several other high-profile figures also sharing their grief over the destruction of their properties. Paris Hilton, a longtime resident of Malibu, posted a photo on Instagram showing the remnants of her own home on Jan. 8. “Heartbroken beyond words.💔 Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” Hilton wrote.
Hilton, 43, who lives in the home with her husband Carter Reum and their two children, Phoenix and London, described the property as a place filled with special memories. “It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London,” Hilton said, expressing her heartbreak at the loss of not just a home but the dreams they had for their future there.
The wildfires in Southern California have become some of the most destructive in recent history, causing significant property damage and prompting widespread evacuations. Thousands of people, including celebrities like Rivers and Hilton, have been forced to flee their homes in the face of the rapidly advancing flames.
As of Jan. 8, authorities continue to battle the fires, which have swept through neighborhoods across Los Angeles and Malibu, consuming homes and structures in their path. The destruction has left many residents, including public figures, grappling with the loss of everything they’ve built.
For Rivers, the emotional toll is compounded by the loss of irreplaceable family heirlooms and personal items that connected her to her past. As she moves forward, she remains focused on the safety of her family and expresses gratitude for the first responders working to contain the fire. “My heart is so broken, not just for myself, but for everybody going through this,” Rivers concluded in her interview.
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