Irene Nelson, 97, lost her Altadena home of over 50 years in the Eaton Fire. The fire devastated the historic neighborhood, which served as a refuge for Black families barred from buying homes elsewhere in LA County. Nelson, one of the first Black families to reside in Altadena, recalls cherished memories of her property, including fruit trees, a garden, and the sense of community. Her son, Norman Nelson, shares his family's plan to rebuild and overcome this tragedy.
The Nelsons were among the first Black families to move into Altadena , a longtime refuge for African-American families legally barred from buying homes in other parts of LA County.
At 97 years old, Nelson has never experienced this much shock after losing her home of more than 50 years in the Eaton Fire.“It's just too much. It was just entirely too much. I just shook. I still can't believe it,” Nelson said. “I lost my house after all these years,” she explained. “We had 19 fruit trees. We had our court where we had our garden. We had a lot, a lot of nice memories there.”Nelson’s home stood at the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Pine Street, where the only thing left standing now is her chimney.“It’s just an awful thing to happen to anyone, to lose everything you've worked hard for for so many years,” she said.
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