CBS LA crew reunites with Altadena homeowner whose chickens they rescued during Eaton Fire
One year after the devastating Eaton Fire broke out in Altadena, a CBS LA news crew is reuniting with the woman whom they rushed to help as she desperately worked to save her pet chickens and ducks as flames moved in on her home.
Evita Chu's house survived the fire, but she says it's still unlivable. She says that the animals that the CBS reporter and photographer duo of Jasmine Viel and John Schreiber rescued became a symbol of hope in the chaos.
Viel and Schreiber approached the property on Altadena Drive on Jan. 8, less than a day after the fire erupted and rapidly spread. When they arrived, Chu was pleading for help with the flames closing in quickly. With no firefighters in sight, she turned her pleas towards the news crew.
Schreiber quickly put down his camera and began to grab the frantic birds. He and Viel then began to load the chickens and ducks into Chu's trash cans. After multiple trips, they had managed to grab about a dozen chickens before the situation became more hazardous.
Still, Schreiber rushed back in and was able to save four more ducks.
A year later, with some of those same birds living happily together in Chu's parents' backyard in Pasadena, she says they're a symbol of resilience and hope.
"It was just a scary moment for me. I raised these chickens since chicks," Chu said during the reunion.
Though the family's home didn't burn in the fire, she says that they're not quite ready to return home.
"It's a sense of gratitude, at the same time, there's a survivor's guilt feeling also," she said.
Chu invited Viel and Schreiber back to their home for the first time since the fire, reliving the intense moments when their instincts to help kicked in.
"I really thought you guys were firefighters," Chu said. "It's a miracle how these ducks are still alive."
She says that miracle, along with her devotion to her animals, helps as she and her family continue to rebuild their lives.
"You have no idea how these pets mean to me," she said. "When you're having a hard time, you have your pets. These chickens, these ducks, I raised them with my hands."