A former child actor from Australia, who had cerebral palsy, tragically lost his life when his family’s Malibu, California home was consumed by the Palisades Fire. Water supplies had failed, making it impossible for his mother to save him despite her frantic efforts to contact emergency services.
On January 8, 2025, Rory Callum Sykes, 32, perished as flames ignited the roof of his cottage situated on his family’s 17-acre property. His mother, TV production entrepreneur Shelley Sykes, strove to rescue him despite her broken arm and the lack of a functioning water supply.
Shelley Sykes posted on social media about the tragic incident, “It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son to the Malibu fires yesterday. He overcame so much with surgeries & therapies to regain his sight & to be able to learn to walk. Despite the pain, he still enthused about traveling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica.”
Due to swollen feet and the necessity to stay near a restroom, Sykes chose not to evacuate his cottage. As the fire escalated, his mother remained on the main property with her two peacocks, trying to stay damp while witnessing embers settling on her son’s rooftop.
Sykes, born blind and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, had conquered numerous physical hurdles through surgeries and therapies. He made appearances on the British TV show “Kiddy Kapers,” hosted by his mother, and later became a philanthropist, investor, and developer. He also co-founded “Happy Charity,” an organization dedicated to providing “Hope, Happiness & Health to those that are Hurting.”
Fire authorities concluded that Sykes died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Recalling the heartbreaking final moments, his mother told reporters, “He said ‘Mom leave me,’ and no mom can leave their kid. I’ve got a broken arm; I couldn’t lift him; I couldn’t move him.”
After seeking help from the nearest fire station, Shelley returned to find the cottage reduced to “just black ash.” The property, which was home to Mount Malibu TV Studios, was completely destroyed.
The water shortage was due to multiple infrastructure problems. The essential Santa Ynez Reservoir, which stores 117 million gallons of water, had been offline for nearly a year due to cover repairs. This resulted in critically low water pressure in the entire Palisades region.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported an extraordinary demand, reaching four times the usual levels for 15 consecutive hours. Numerous hydrants had minimal to no water flow, necessitating the deployment of 20 water tankers. These tankers needed to be refilled from far-off locations, significantly hindering the firefighting efforts.
The devastation caused by the fire was not limited to the Sykes family. Anthony Mitchell and his disabled son Justin were among the other victims unable to evacuate. The combined Palisades and Eaton fires resulted in at least 24 deaths, with 16 fatalities in the Eaton Fire and eight in the Palisades Fire. About 12,000 structures were destroyed, and several individuals are still missing.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is offering consular assistance to the Sykes family. Shelley Sykes has expressed her intention to reconstruct the property as a sanctuary in memory of her son.
