Nina Dobrev has admitted to feeling “survivor guilt” over her home being spared from the Los Angeles wildfires.
Post to Instagram Last weekend, the “Vampire Diaries” alum told her 26.3 million followers in a video statement. The fire forced many families to evacuate.
“My heart breaks for all those affected by these wildfires.”
Dobrev later detailed that she and fiancé Shaun White evacuated their home on January 9, but that was not how she “wanted” to spend her 36th birthday.
“I don't know about you, but I feel survivor's guilt. Our house was close to the fire and thankfully we survived, but many others are not so lucky. It wasn’t,” she said.
Dobrev then implored supporters to help the survivors financially, saying the initial donations left them with “too many clothes.”
“For my birthday this year, I donated to those families along that list, and if you would do the same, that would be my birthday wish,” she said. added.
“I put myself in the shoes of the people whose homes burned down. […] For some of them, the level of tragedy is immense and very difficult to understand, they have lost everything and my heart breaks into a million pieces for them. ”
The “Perks of Being a Wallflower” actress concluded her message with: “Sending love to everyone who needs it right now. The healing journey is a long one, but I'm sending you lots of love.”
Dobrev is one of many celebrities who have joined forces to help victims of the California wildfires that broke out in the Pacific Palisades on January 7 and have since spread to other areas.
Selena Gomez and her fiancé Benny Blanco were seen handing out food to first responders who helped fight the disaster, and Taylor Swift donated millions of dollars to multiple charities.
Celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Meghan Markle, Halle Berry and Kim Kardashian also donated large amounts of clothing, and Paris Hilton helped foster evacuated dogs.
However, other celebrities such as Leighton Meester, Heidi and Spencer Pratt, Mel Gibson, and Tyra Banks were not so lucky, losing their homes to fires.
As of Monday, the Los Angeles fires were 59% contained and at least 27 people had died since the blazes began earlier this month.
