A former Australian child actor named Rory Sykes tragically lost his life during the California wildfires. Sykes, who suffered from cerebral palsy, became one of the fatal victims of the Palisades fires as his Malibu home was engulfed in flames.
His mother, Shelley Sykes, tried to save him, but a broken arm and a lack of water sealed the fate of her son.
Shelley Sykes announced the tragic death of her son, Rory, on X. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son Rory Sykes to the Malibu fires yesterday.
I’m totally heartbroken,” Sykes wrote. Shelley described Rory as the number one Apple and Tim Cook fan, as well as a Runescape gamer.
Moreover, he was also of Happy Charity, an organization he founded alongside his mother.
Rory Sykes was born blind with cerebral palsy & had difficulty walking.
He overcame so much with surgeries & therapies to regain his sight & to be able to learn to walk,” Skykes continued.
“Despite the pain, he still enthused about traveling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica.”
Tragic Loss
Shelley Sykes then revealed that she attempted to save Rory’s life by putting out the fire engulfing her son’s cottage.
However, the lack of water in the area made it impossible.
“I couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off by Las Virgenes Municipal Water,” Sykes said. “Even the 50 brave firefighters had no water all day!”
Sykes then decided to go to the nearest fire station and, hopefully, save her son with the help of other firefighters.
“He said mum leave me, and no mum can leave their kid,” Sykes told 10 News First.
“And I’ve got a broken arm – I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him.” She traveled to the local fire station and, unfortunately, the crew told her that they didn’t have water.
The firefighters took her back to the home, but they found Rory’s cottage burnt to the ground.
10 News First reported that Rory Sykes’ cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. Moreover, it appears that his death has not been included in the wildfire death toll.
