Our lot being cleared of “debris.”
Somedays I wake up and I feel low, so low I don’t want to get out of bed.
I feel like all the money that people sent to Fire Aid that went to nonprofits (and the people that made that responsible) will never go to the people it was intended.
It’s hard to stomach all of the people in Tahitian Terrace and Palisades Bowl that are not being helped. Lawmakers seem to throw up their hands and say there’s ‘nothing we can do.’ All those people who lost everything have no concrete way of coming back.
The town was 30 percent seniors, who had worked their whole lives and bought into the Palisades when it was cheap. They had their largest financial asset, their home, taken away in the Fire. These people, who participated and ran clubs, and were the “eyes” on the streets, may never come back. And I sob. Even if we ever get through insurance to rebuild, my friends won’t be in the town.
And the politicians talk. They talk a lot. They all say they want to help, they’ll take meetings with everyone, but there is no help.
And I take it personally that so many people were wronged and have no way of coming home.
I look at the decimated streets, the burned-out lots, the weeds growing everywhere, no streetlights, the town center still struggling to come back and it’s hard to stay positive.
Last night a reader sent this video—I opened it this morning and I cried. It was easier to get out of bed this morning because it’s the residents–so many, in so many different ways who are trying to keep our community together and bring as many people home as possible.
Diapers and politicians should be changed early and often, and for the same reason. Nothing will change until you obtain a backbone and dump the current politicians and their supporters.
What a beautiful video, singer, moment. Sometimes I am still just so angry it is hard to cry. This helped me to cry. Thank you, Sue and Ruby Rae.
Thank you Sue…I have never appreciated your words more until this article. Hoping to come back to Tahitian Terrace, but at least the Pali Dog Park is!
Ruby Rae is a beacon of light in the darkest of times. May the Palisades community be uplifted and energized watching her journey.
Sue, I agree with everything you said. The Fireaid fraud is absolutely disgusting and people should be prosecuted for it! Thank you for putting into words what I feel everyday. I lived in the Palisades since I was 4 years old and I’m 64 now. I went to school there, my kids went to school there, I got married there, my daughter got married there. Except for a few years of going away to college and buying our first house I have never been away from the Palisades. The corrupt politicians in our State should not be able to get away with burning down our town! Hopefully we will get some answers soon, it has been way too long.
Hang in there Sue…… it may sound cliche but if you have your health you really do have everything, I know this all to well.
Crayton has the most appropriate response for politicians. I would add that once they have served once in a limited time capacity they should be mustered out of politics for good…… not sure how this would result in electing a president? Probably just lots more dark money.
Dear Sue Pascoe,
It is good to be indignant and to give a voice to so many of us lacking one. Thank you. I am amazed how resilient we humans are. In our case we lived 39 years in the Pacific Palisades. We enjoyed ocean views and breezes and then poof. State Farm bandits cancelled our fire insurance few weeks before the fire because it was too dangerous because of fires. They did it legally and there is no recourse; it was a catch 22 because our roof was older than 25 years so Fair Plan was ineligible. We now rent an expensive apartment in West Los Angeles with a homeless in every corner and insalubrious taco stands with a Typhoid Maria in every other corner. Despite both being seniors I still have a job. We cannot rebuild but manage a happy life thanks to a good wife. If you have health, money and love that is a lot, so we must cherish it on this side of the lawn. Cheers to all.