Former child actor Rory Callum Sykes died Wednesday, January 8, as a victim of the Palisades fire, according to his mother, Shelley Sykes. He was 32 years old.
Rory, an Australian actor who was born with visual impairment and cerebral palsy, appeared on the British TV show Kiddie Capers. In addition to her work in front of the camera, Rory also works as a motivational speaker and helped found the Happy Charity organization with her mother.
When the Palisades Fire broke out, Sykes tried to evacuate her home in Malibu, but limited resources such as electricity made it difficult to call emergency services.
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Former child star Rory Callum Sykes has died at the age of 32. (X/Sherry Sykes)
“He was my baby and he died needlessly,” Sykes said. Australia's 10 News First.
Sykes said her son lives in a guesthouse on the family's 17-acre Malibu Canyon property. She had no means of communicating with the outside world as the Palisades Fire invaded the community.
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“Guess what went wrong? 911 – all phone lines were down,” she said. “He said, 'Mommy, stay away from me.' But a mother can't leave her child alone. I had a broken arm and I couldn't lift him. I couldn't move him. I couldn't even do that.
In an attempt to evacuate, I drove to the local fire department to ask for help, but was told there was no water.
“I said, 'Oh my god, my son is locked in his room,'” Sykes recalled. “When the fire department brought me back, his house was completely burnt down.”
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Born in England, Sykes moved to Australia as a child. He wrote a book called “Calum's Cure,'' detailing his determination to one day not only walk, but see.
Firefighters watch as water is sprayed on the Palisades Fire at Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles, Saturday, January 11, 2025. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)
A firefighter told Sykes that he died of carbon monoxide poisoning, not burns. “I didn't want to cause the baby any pain.”
Sykes is considering a class action lawsuit and will remain in place for now.
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“I'm not going to move,” Sykes said. “It's going to be a special place for Rory and I, and we're going to make it even more beautiful than it is now.”
Air tanker falls into Palisades fire. (Brian van der Brug/Getty Images)
On January 8, 2025, a home was engulfed in flames during the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area. (Josh Edelson/Getty Images)
The Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres and is now 11% contained, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported Sunday. Five deaths have been reported since the fire broke out on Tuesday, January 7th.
The Eaton Fire, which started less than 30 miles away in Altadena on January 7, has burned 14,117 acres and is now 27% burned. Eleven people were confirmed dead.
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