In the Pasadena darkness, a vigil pops up for Eaton fire victims

Yvette Pompa becomes emotional as Kevin Whitaker of Pasadena tries to console during a vigil for the victims of the Eaton fire at a makeshift aerial with wooden crosses at Lake Avenue and Villa St. in Pasadena on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

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The lingering emotions and ongoing angst among many in Altadena and Pasadena found some outlet Saturday evening, Jan. 18, when a Texas-based artist organized an impromptu vigil on the southeast corner of North Lake Avenue and East Villa Street.

Mexico-born Roberto Marques of Dallas arrived in town following the Eaton fire, painting a large mural that’s displayed on the fence along East Villa Street, and constructing a series of wooden crosses to symbolize those who died.

Among the Eaton fire dead identified:

Dalyce Curry, 95;
Erliene Louise Kelley, 83;
Evelyn McClendon, 59;
Anthony Mitchell Sr., 68;
Justin Mitchell, 35;
Rodney Nickerson, 82;
Victor Shaw, 66;
Kim Winiecki, 77;
Zhi Feng Zhao, 84;

The fire, which exploded Tuesday, Jan. 7, burned 14,117 acres, leaving 17 confirmed fatalities and over 9,000 structures destroyed. Over 1,000 structures have been damaged, as well.

“I didn’t have the chance to write the names on the crosses, but I will later,” he said, explaining his goal of memorializing the dead to a small gathering that included many major news outlets.

He said he wanted to create a place where people could come and pay their respects.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Alba Cruz of Pasadena, who saw her church lost in the fire.

“Nobody has ever done anything like this before,” she said.

As evening waned, the row of candles Marques had lined along the sidewalk began to gain in brightness. Several people shared prayers in Spanish, and though the vigil was occasionally interrupted by the ominous sirens of emergency vehicles passing by, people were otherwise silent and stood and knelt for a long time around the artwork Marques had prepared.

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“It feels very organic,” said Holly Benson of Pasadena, who lives down the street and saw the handmade signs announcing the vigil, describing it as a “pop-up vigil.”

Her friend, Vanessa Peoples of Pasadena, heard about it through Facebook and thought it would be a good opportunity to pay respects and be with others.

For Walter Batres of Pasadena, however, the vigil is the culmination of days volunteering across the street at the Pasadena Community Job Center, where he has placed his emotion following the trauma of his community.

“When the artist first came he started looking for support,” he said, noting it was sad that people didn’t have time to help him organize his vigil.

Batres helped provide a P.A. system for Marques to talk and shared his appreciation for the event and the artwork itself.

“This is gonna stay right here for a while,” Batres said. “I’m sure people are going to bring flowers.”

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