Bud Meeker, 86, had been living at an Altadena retirement community for a little more than a week when the unthinkable happened.
The Eaton fire, which destroyed more than 10,000 structures in Los Angeles County, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, reached his new home, The Terraces at Park Marino.
Staff and residents of the assisted living community, including Meeker, found themselves racing to evacuate — walking and stumbling into winds of swirling embers.
“All I had when I left the building was what I had on,” said Jennie Frederick, 82, a resident of more than three years.
The blaze, which reduced The Terraces to ashes, left many residents uncertain about their next steps.
Then came an offer of help from a facility in La Verne, about 25 miles to the east.
Hillcrest, an assisted living community, opened its doors the night of the fire to take in The Terraces residents. Now, eight evacuated residents have a new home — even if just temporary.
At Hillcrest, they’ve found not only room and board, but residents who welcome them and are willing to help. Some have even gone shopping for their new friends.
“I can’t go put out the fire, but I can go get this lady a pair of shoes,” said Linda Hart, a Hillcrest resident since 2017 who has bought items for the newly relocated people.
The evacuees appreciate the gestures, especially as they continue to grapple with the too-fresh memories of that harrowing night.
Frederick, who uses a walker, was quickly carried down the stairs of the building as the fire drew near.
“I smelled smoke and said, ‘What’s going on?’ Then I saw the embers and the whole back of the area we were near was lit up, and I thought ‘Oh my goodness, the side of the building is burning,’” Frederick said.
Frederick described the chaotic, yet organized, evacuation efforts by Terraces at Park Marino employees.
“Caregivers were carrying people down the stairs for those who couldn’t walk,” she said.
Meeker, who recounted seeing the fire approaching, said he “wasn’t too surprised that it had finally come far enough to get our building.”
Like many others, Frederick left with only the clothes on her back and no way of contacting her family.
Shirley Turner, director of sales and marketing at Hillcrest, said it all began with the ring of a phone.
“We got a call saying ‘The Park Marino building burned down to the ground,’ and I think everyone was pretty much shocked,” Turner said.
Being far from the fire’s path, Hillcrest was one of the first facilities to respond to The Terraces’ call. Phone conversations took place between both facilities’ administrators.
When the decision came, Hillcrest staff quickly set up about seven rooms, preparing everything — from beds to anything else the evacuees might need, Turner said. Nurses were ready to help.
That night, a bus carrying the eight residents arrived in La Verne.
“We had no idea what to expect,” Turner said. “Our supervisor got on the bus and started comforting people, letting them know we had a nice place for them.”
“When they arrived, they each had a small trash bag with whatever they could gather,” Turner added.
The new Hillcrest residents wanted to eat dinner together that first night after settling in. So the dining staff scrambled to pull together quick meals such as grilled cheese sandwiches and macaroni and cheese.
“I gotta say they were in good spirits for as much as they’d been through,” Turner said.
Despite the chaotic events, Frederick and Meeker said the relocation was swift.
“Given the situation we were in, I couldn’t believe how organized everything was when we got to Hillcrest,” Frederick said. “I thought to myself, ‘Gee whiz, everything seemed really organized.’”
Meeker said: “The caregivers and the fire department did a good job at making things go smoothly. I think they did a nice job.”
In the days after their arrival, the Hillcrest community rallied to support the newcomers.
“Our resident association is putting together gift cards for them, as they really just wanted slippers and pajamas,” Turner said.
Margaret McEnery, a Hillcrest resident since 2022, said she and a fellow resident are welcoming the evacuees by “seeing them in the dining room and talking with them.”
Turner said she admired the Hillcrest staff’s dedication that night.
“It wasn’t about my job anymore, it was about serving people in need,” she said. “Everybody just responded, and it renews my faith in our industry.”
The new residents are slowly getting accustomed to what could be their new long-term home, Turner said.
“Now we check on them regularly, and our existing residents are including them in our community so they don’t feel singled out,” Turner said.
“It’s the little things,” Hart said, explaining that she’s bought warm clothes for the newcomers and given them essential items such as scissors and toiletries.
Meanwhile, Hillcrest and The Terraces are working to find permanent homes for the displaced residents.
With rebuilding efforts expected to take years, some residents and their families are planning for them to stay at Hillcrest permanently, Turner said.
Frederick said she’s “blessed” to have the option of where to live next and hopes to eventually return to Pasadena to live closer to her church and doctors.
Meanwhile, McEnery she’s glad to hear that the evacuees “perceive Hillcrest as a wonderful, caring community.”