Alison Martino’s Reflections on Loss
Los Angeles history expert, TV personality, writer, and lifelong Angeleno, Alison Martino mourns the loss from the fires.
Alison Martino is an L.A. historian, writer, television producer, on-air news reporter for Spectrum News Channel 1, lifelong resident of the city, and founder of Vintage Los Angeles, which celebrates the vintage homes and haunts of L.A. across social media and at alisonmartino.com.
As we reflect on the recent devastation, I’m in disbelief. Seeing the aftermath is like standing in a war zone from every direction. It just doesn’t seem real. Los Angeles is my hometown, and I am heartbroken, especially for my fellow Los Angeleans. Some of the best times of my life were spent in places that are now rubble and ash. The sheer amount of property loss is devastating, and the loss of culture it represents is immeasurable. These charming and historic structures can never be replaced. Craftsmanship that we’ll never see again. Thousands of homes and endless businesses lost overnight in such a horrendous and gut-churning way. On top of people being displaced, they are feeling despondent, depressed, angry, terrified, and unaware of their futures and the uncertain impact it’s had on these beautiful communities. I can’t help but think of all the jobs lost: nannies, cooks, housekeepers, gardeners, and handymen. Other job categories range from security guards to caterers to florists, servers, baristas, food truck operators, and designers. Their livelihoods also went up in flames.
What I witnessed will haunt me forever. In the Palisades, reporting on fire’s aftermath, I saw crews lifting cars burnt to a crisp off of the streets, a charred spiral staircase on a charred lot leading to nowhere, the vestiges of the iconic coastal restaurant Moonshadows Malibu with the M of its sign charred onto the sidewalk like a brand, a statue of a circle of friends hugging each other, the only item to survive a fire at a mobile home destroyed along with all its neighboring homes.
This is what we sometimes refer to as “stuff.” The stuff of life, the significance of things, the traces of our lives, and of those that have gone before us. To think all your preserved memories can be extinguished overnight. I weep for all the family photos, scrapbooks, school yearbooks, and children’s artwork. We are all archivists of our own lives, and in those homes was a palpable diary of their entire history. It is things and mementos that you collected for decades. All irreplaceable.
The loss of museum-quality historical artifacts, Hollywood memorabilia, etc. … is also incalculable. The entertainment industry is a huge part of our culture and is globally known for one-of-a-kind pieces, rare art, and historic memorabilia. Not just the valuables, where we may recognize the artist’s name, but so many paintings and antiques that have been inherited by loved ones who have since passed away. I think of all the beautiful costumes and classic cars that have been lost, too. It underscores the importance of the work of archivists, and their homes have become a graveyard of Hollywood memories.
And the homes that were destroyed that symbolize so much of what we love about L.A. and the California dream: The Will Rogers estate, with its old California charm and barn and polo fields, and the brutalist Robert Bridges House built on cement pillars 100 feet above Sunset Boulevard. If ever a custom-built home reflected the dreams and aspirations of a California architect and a city, this was it.
On the heels of the pandemic, this cuts deep. I have dozens of friends who’ve lost it all. It feels like a dystopian movie about the apocalypse. Many people’s lives and futures have vaporized overnight. Lives are lost, and their beloved pets’ lives are lost. It’s truly gut-wrenching, but Angelenos are survivors. As hard as it is to imagine, L.A. will rise from these ashes. We’ve had earthquakes, fires, and unrest, but we’ve come back. It’s amazing to be a part of something so devastating and to then be part of the community coming together. Los Angeles (and its surrounding areas) is going to be a very different place for a very long time. My heart is with everybody affected by this endless heartbreak. Our collective mourning will last a long time for families, homes, and memories. I love you L.A., and I will be here for you always and will continue to honor what we’ve lost and celebrate what we still have.