A grandfather in Altadena was tragically found dead in his bed, one of the victims of the relentless fires sweeping through the Los Angeles area.
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82-year-old Rodney Nickerson, a longtime resident of the Altadena neighborhood for over 50 years, was found after the devastating Eaton Fire swept through the area, according to a report by Sky News.
His daughter, Kimiko Nickerson, told Sky News Friday that Rodney “was asleep in his bed, where he still is right now.”
Rodney Nickerson dedicated 45 years to Lockheed Martin as a project engineer, according to CBS affiliate KCAL. His wife also worked for the renowned defense and aerospace company.
Kimiko also shared that her family has strong ties to the L.A. area, revealing that her great-grandfather, William Nickerson, was the founder of Nickerson Gardens, the public housing development in Watts.
Kimiko remembered her father as a man of ambition, vitality, and intelligence.
“[He] read the LA Times from cover to cover and walked around the Rose Bowl every day,” Kimiko told Sky News. “But he went to sleep and died in his bed,” she added.
The Wildfires Has Consumed Nearly 30,000 acres
Rodney Nickerson is one of several identified victims of the ongoing Los Angeles area wildfires.
Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old retiree and amputee who relied on a wheelchair, tragically lost his life alongside his son, Justin, who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Both were unable to evacuate their home in Altadena in time, per The Washington Post.
Another victim, 66-year-old Victor Shaw, was found near his family’s home by the Eaton Fire. His body was still clutching a garden hose in a futile attempt to protect his property.
Rory Callum Sykes, a former child actor, was also identified as a victim of the wildfires. His mother told the Australian outlet 10 News First that she “couldn’t stop the flames taking over.” She also revealed that Rory’s cottage had been completely destroyed in the fire. Fire officials per 10 News First, said that her son had passed away due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles rose to 11 as of Friday.
More than 100,000 people have fled the affected regions as wildfires, driven by 100-mile-per-hour winds, continue to spread. The flames have already consumed nearly 30,000 acres, reducing thousands of buildings to ashes and leaving devastation in their wake.