When 11-year-old Ceiba Phillips returned to his Altadena neighborhood weeks after the Eaton fire reduced it to ash, reality struck harder than photos ever could. LA wildfires had erased his grandparents’ home, his favorite diner, and the school he loved. Only 6 houses survived on his street—including his smoke-damaged home, now uninhabitable. “There’s not even a word created for it,” Ceiba said. “It's sad, it's heavy, somewhat angry.”
Psychologists emphasize child trauma recovery hinges on rebuilding routines.
“Being honest about our emotions invites children to share their grief,”said disaster sociologist Lori Peek. For Ceiba’s mother Alyson Granaderos, this meant tough conversations. “You’re facing certain talks you didn’t expect at 11,” she admitted, recalling their prayer-filled escape night.
Community efforts like Chiara Angelicola’s Kids Town Hall provided critical support:
- Art therapy to externalize fear
- Somatic exercises addressing physical trauma
- Peer sessions normalizing complex emotions
Quoia, Ceiba’s 4-year-old sister, cried over the destroyed Bunny Museum, once home to giant inflatable rabbits. Even schoolfriends now discuss insurance gaps and rebuilding. Yet hope persists. Granaderos planted a Sequoia sapling — extraordinarily fire-resistant — years ago. It survived, symbolizing resilience. “Altadena will stick together,” Ceiba insists. His saxophone lessons and Michigan state project signal normalcy returning, step by smoky step.