FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — One Franklin resident said she has scrambled to connect her relatives with resources after they lost their homes in the Altadena wildfire.
Stephanie Phillips told News 2 her nana, aunt and brothers lost three family homes in the Altadena wildfire. She remembered the conversation she had with her brother after they found out their beloved homes were gone.
“He said the wind was so severe [that] as you’re standing, it almost pushes you and more things were flying and embers,” she added. “It got to a point where it was literally swirling, raining down embers like someone is emptying a charcoal grill over you.”
Phillips’ family moved to the Los Angeles area in 1926; that’s where she grew up until she moved to Franklin four years ago.
“The park that we played little league at? Gone. The elementary school? Gone. The Junior High? Gone,” Phillips added.
Phillips told News 2 her nana and great aunt didn’t have their hearing aids in when the fire broke out and one of the doors was locked. Her brother had to scramble to get keys in the dark and rescue them around 2 a.m.
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“It was just a matter of minutes,” Phillips said.
She said the most painful thing for her family was losing history.
“Everyone in my family lived in Altadena, so it’s like we were almost erased from existence,” Phillips said.
Phillips added her family fled the fires with just the clothes on their backs. Since then, they’ve been focused on replacing things like cell phones and hearing aids.
