The Los Angeles wildfires have caused more devastation than anyone could have anticipated, continuing a deadly wave of destruction and loss for over a week. Tragically, more and more people are being affected by these seemingly endless fires, with some even succumbing to these catastrophic disasters. Among the most recent victims is Hollywood royalty, 95-year-old Dalyce Curry.
According to her granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, the Blues Brothers actress is now one of the 25 confirmed casualties of the LA wildfires, which began on Jan. 7. Kelley explained to The Daily Mail that her grandmother had just been discharged from the hospital after dealing with heart issues and was eager to return home to Altadena, California. On the way, with Kelley driving, the two noticed flames in Altadena. Dalyce quickly dismissed the smoke, assuming it was far from her residence.
Believing her grandmother was not in imminent danger, Kelley dropped Dalyce off at her home and returned to her place. Unfortunately, while they might have been correct at the time, strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly. Within hours, the flames had reached several homes, including Dalyce’s.
Later that evening, Kelley received the devastating news that the Eaton Fire had consumed several blocks of Altadena, including her grandmother’s neighborhood, but she lived 25 miles away from her grandmother. Because of this distance, she contacted the sheriff’s and fire departments, hoping they could check on her Dalyce. Unfortunately, the lines were overwhelmed with calls, and she received no response.
It was then that Kelley decided to drive to her grandmother’s home in the middle of the night, knowing that Dalyce was unlikely to have checked her phone for evacuation messages. Tragically, Kelley was right.”I found out later that people in the area received an evacuation notice at 3:30 a.m. that [Wednesday] morning, but Momma D wasn’t a cell phone type of girl,” Kelley recalled. “When you’re elderly, it’s either hard for them to use or they just don’t like using cell phones.”
By the time Kelley reached Altadena — around 5:30 a.m. — authorities were already on the scene, cordoning off neighborhoods affected by the fires. Kelley described her overwhelming panic as she witnessed the post-apocalyptic devastation before her. “It was all black, and I just panicked because I felt like I was in hell,” she recounted. “A man passed me, yelling that his whole house had burned down. Another lady drove by screaming, ‘The whole city is gone!’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, my God! What is happening?'”
Desperate to find her grandmother, Kelley approached an officer and was advised to head to the Pasadena Civic Center, where evacuees had been taken. On her way there, she received a devastating call from the same officer. “I was on my way to Pasadena when he called me back,” Kelley recounted. “He said, ‘Ma’am, I hate to tell you, but your grandmother’s house is totally gone.'”
In the hours and days following the fire, Kelley clung to hope that someone had managed to evacuate her grandmother. She was even permitted to visit Dalyce’s home to search for any remains. She found nothing, further fueling her hope. Two days later, though, Kelley received a devastating call from county Medical Examiner officials.
“It was 5 p.m. on Sunday when I saw the coroner’s number, and my heart dropped,” Kelley recounted. On the other end of the line, she heard the heartbreaking news: “Unfortunately, we did find remains at your grandmother’s home.”
Officials also shared their belief that the 95-year-old actress was likely asleep during the fire. “That means she was probably asleep and just so tired that she never even took her eyeglasses off,” Kelley recalled being told. In a way, it may be a small comfort to know that Dalyce lived a long, full, and happy life and perhaps did not experience the despair such a situation could bring.
Dalyce is survived by her children and grandchildren, who will forever cherish her memory.
Published: Jan 15, 2025 02:48 pm