ALTADENA, Calif. — Missi Dowd-Figueroa has turned loss into life on the site of her former home in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire. Having lost her 1898 farmhouse in January's wildfire that swept through Los Angeles, she found solace in planting sunflowers and other flowers in the barren landscape.
A year after the tragedy, many residents are still grappling with the aftermath, yet Dowd-Figueroa chose to remain and heal. The Altadena I know and love is gone, she said, recalling the community's changes. But there’s still something about Altadena that feels like Altadena now, even though there are no homes.
Grief ran deep for Dowd-Figueroa as she lost cherished belongings, including art from her grandmother and even her father's ashes. Initially, the empty lot filled her with sorrow, but she took action by planting seeds — a decision that marked the beginning of her healing process.
As the garden grew, bursting into life with vibrant colors, so did her spirits. It was really healing just to come back and tend the space where I lived for the longest time in my life, she shared, noting the return of butterflies and wildlife.
Encouraged by donations totaling around $100,000, construction on her new home began in September. With a completion date anticipated by mid-June, the structure stands as a testament to her resilience, embodying the promise of a new era in a place she calls home. It just feels like now there’s a place that exists. It will happen. We can do this, she affirmed.
A year after the tragedy, many residents are still grappling with the aftermath, yet Dowd-Figueroa chose to remain and heal. The Altadena I know and love is gone, she said, recalling the community's changes. But there’s still something about Altadena that feels like Altadena now, even though there are no homes.
Grief ran deep for Dowd-Figueroa as she lost cherished belongings, including art from her grandmother and even her father's ashes. Initially, the empty lot filled her with sorrow, but she took action by planting seeds — a decision that marked the beginning of her healing process.
As the garden grew, bursting into life with vibrant colors, so did her spirits. It was really healing just to come back and tend the space where I lived for the longest time in my life, she shared, noting the return of butterflies and wildlife.
Encouraged by donations totaling around $100,000, construction on her new home began in September. With a completion date anticipated by mid-June, the structure stands as a testament to her resilience, embodying the promise of a new era in a place she calls home. It just feels like now there’s a place that exists. It will happen. We can do this, she affirmed.
