By Jami Ganz
A “heartbroken” Paris Hilton watched her Malibu home burn down on live television Wednesday as deadly wildfires continued to ravage Los Angeles.
The socialite-turned-DJ, 43, said she was “heartbroken beyond words” as she shared a clip of ABC7’s reporting on her devastated neighborhood.
PALISADES FIRE: 17,200-acre blaze damages or destroys ‘thousands’ of buildings
“Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” Hilton wrote on Instagram Wednesday.
“This home was where we built so many precious memories. It’s where [son] Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with [daughter] London,” Hilton said of her son, turning 2 next week, and her 14-month daughter, both of whom she shares with husband Carter Reum.
Though the experience is “overwhelming,” Hilton said she’s “holding onto gratitude that my family and pets are safe.
“My hearts and prayers going out to every family affected by these fires,” she continued. “To all the people who have lost their homes, their memories, and their beloved pets. My heartaches [sic] for those still in harm’s way or mourning greater losses. The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking.”
Hilton said her 11:11 media company is working to determine how it can help affected communities “and making a meaningful difference for those who need it most.”
The blazes have upended Hollywood, forcing studios to suspend production and postponing the Critics Choice Awards. The likes of Ben Affleck were forced to evacuate the star-studded Pacific Palisades neighborhood, as the fires destroyed the homes of Billy Crystal and threatened those of Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and more.
At the time of publication, at least five people have been confirmed dead in the historic fires and over 100,000 have evacuated as 15,000 acres have been destroyed, and with them thousands of homes, buildings and businesses.