Despite his mother’s desperate efforts to save him, former child star Rory Callum Sykes was killed in the wildfires ravaging Southern California.
Sykes — who was born blind and with cerebral palsy — died at his family’s estate in Malibu on Wednesday, his mother, Shelley Sykes, revealed in an emotional social media post. He was 32 years old.
“It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @RorySykes to the Malibu fires yesterday. I’m totally heartbroken,” she wrote, remembering him as a “wonderful son” and “a gift” who boasted an impressive list of achievements.
Sykes “overcame so much with surgeries and therapies to regain his sight and to be able to learn to walk” and eagerly traveled the world “despite the pain” he endured, Shelley continued. “He will be incredibly missed.”
British-born Sykes, who was previously living in Australia, recently relocated to Malibu, where he lived in cottage on his family’s 17-acre property, 9 News reported.
“I couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off,” Shelley explained on social media. “Even the 50 brave firefighters had no water all day.”
Days after the wildfires began cropping up in the L.A. area, fire officials only first learned that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, capable of holding 117 gallons of water, had been out of commission since February. The tank had been completely emptied for repairs, leaving hydrants dry while firefighters worked to battle back fast-moving flames. Officials have also said there was a temporary drop in water pressure, causing some tanks to run dry due to the “tremendous demand.”
“He said, ‘Mom, leave me’ and no mom can leave their kid,” Shelley recalled in an interview with 10 News First. “I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him.”
She said fire officials confirmed her son died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Sykes is at least one of 11 deaths linked to the wildfires.
In addition to appearing in the ’90s UK show “Kiddy Kapers,” Sykes was also a “sought after motivational speaker” at just 8 years old.
More recently, he and his mom had founded Happy Charity. He was also a self-proclaimed lover of Tim Cook, all things Apple and the online game RuneScape.