EP-137 One Year After The Eaton Fire

A wildfire can take your house in minutes. What it can’t take—if you fight for it—is your ability to choose what comes next. We open up about losing our Altadena home in the Eaton Fire, the chaotic evacuation with two poodles and two cats, and the gritty, unglamorous path to rebuilding when Parkinson’s is part of daily life. From “well begun is half done” to letting go of what can burn, this conversation moves from shock to action, and from paperwork to purpose.

We break down the steps that turned grief into motion: hiring an architect and contractor within weeks, surviving a nine-month “fast-tracked” permit maze, and navigating two rounds of temporary housing that taught us what accessibility really means. The details matter—no-step entries, wide halls, curbless showers, reachable storage, induction cooking, and lighting that respects tired eyes. These choices aren’t luxuries; they’re the difference between conserving strength for what you love and spending it on doorways and drawers.

There’s a human core to all of it: what you grab when time collapses, how you forgive yourself for what stays behind, and why presence beats perfection. Along the way, there’s real joy—road trips to reconnect, an Iceland photo that placed in a juried show, and the launch of Faces of Parkinson’s, Volume Two. Community shows up too, from neighbors repurposing historic homes to friends who keep asking the right questions.

If you’re staring down big change, here’s a roadmap built from fire and faith: start sooner than you feel ready, design for the body you have and the future you can’t predict, and keep space for art, pets, and laughter. If this story helps you breathe easier or plan smarter, tap follow, share it with someone who needs resilience today, and leave a review so others can find the show.

• Co-hosts: Judy Yaras & Travis Robinson
• www.INDYpodcast.net
  
  
  

Transcript

Context And The Fire

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to I'm Not Dead Yet with Judy and Travis, a podcast about living an extraordinary life with extraordinary circumstances.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Welcome to the I'm Not Dead Yet Podcast. I'm your co-host, Travis Robinson. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 35 in 2014.

SPEAKER_03 0:39

And I'm Judy Yaris, your other co-host. My husband Sandy had Parkinson's disease for 18 years. I was his care partner.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Today's episode will be talking about the Eton fire and my recovery there from. Hello, Judy. How you doing?

SPEAKER_03 1:05

I'm good, Travis. How are you? I can't believe it's been a year in change. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

It has been a certainly wild year for me.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

I'm sure. No question about it. I mean, I think back to that fateful day, and it just seems like it was all a blur and a big dream. And I'm sure it sort of feels that way to you at times.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Yeah, sort of, but then I look around at my surroundings, and I'm reminded again of the loss and the changes that they're phasing my daily life.

Fast-Tracking Rebuild Plans

SPEAKER_03 2:04

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think we should just review quickly for people that maybe weren't listening a year ago, but Travis Law and Sarah, his partner, lost their house in the Eaton Fires in Altadena last year on January 7th, right? Right. Yeah, it was a very remarkable day in Los Angeles, a sad day in Los Angeles. And um, and since then you've moved into this is your second permanent temporary housing?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

Yes, it is my second um place to hang out as we rebuild our home. We are in the first one hundred to have sticks on the ground and actually get a structure up.

SPEAKER_03 3:16

That is amazing, Travis. I know how difficult it is for people to make that happen. So kudos to you. Thank you. What do you attribute that to?

SPEAKER_01 3:29

Mostly Sarah.

SPEAKER_03 3:34

Yes. She's a resourceful woman, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

Yes. She has been on the spot, you know, arresting the department building in safety to get our permits, which was a nine month process.

SPEAKER_03 4:04

Yeah, it seems like they keep saying, oh, they're fast tracking everything, but if that's fast tracking at nine months, I would hate to think what a slow track is.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Right. Or what a person who doesn't have someone like Sarah to really sit on them and push.

SPEAKER_03 4:32

I suspect that 99% of the people don't have someone like Sarah. That's what I would say.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Right. Which is why we're looking at being the first one of the houses to be rebuilt in Altadina.

Temporary Housing And Accessibility

SPEAKER_03 4:57

It's so crazy to me that they haven't been able to figure out how to make it more accessible and easier for you. Um, as I recall when we first talked, like right after, I remember you saying, like, and I feel like it was within a month or two of the burnout that you had said you actually had an architect and you had a contractor that was gonna rebuild your house. Am I right about that?

SPEAKER_01 5:29

Yes, we hired both of them in February. So we did not waste any time digging around. We knew that we wanted to rebuild them. So we were among the first to really get the process going.

SPEAKER_03 6:05

Yeah, it's amazing to me that you were able to do that so quickly. I mean, first of all, you're in shock, and the fact that you had enough presence to think about even doing that, where for most people they couldn't even imagine what they were gonna do.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

Right, but that is why we are able to be where we're at today instead of still floundering.

SPEAKER_03 6:45

Right. You you made it happen for yourselves. You really made it possible. Yes. So I'm so grateful for that. So the first place you were in had good ADA accommodations for you, right? It was better than most places, correct? It was one story.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

It was one story, it was also very, very tiny.

SPEAKER_03 7:18

It was you, Sarah, and two poodles and two cats. Right. So that in itself was a challenge.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 7:32

And we know with Parkinson's when you have tiny spaces, it's not always the best scenario, right?

SPEAKER_01 7:41

No, it is not.

SPEAKER_03 7:45

But then you had to move out. You were only there for what, eight months, nine months?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Five months. Oh, five, okay. And then we moved indoor present Sierra Madre, which is a community nearby Al Tedina.

SPEAKER_03 8:18

Isn't that where the floats go after the rose parade? They go to Sierra Madre. I feel like that's what it's famous for.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

Yes, probably.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

Okay. So how is it working out in the new place now?

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Well, the new place is not what I would have chosen, but it meets some of the requirements being that it's much larger and it's okay but as we noted a couple of episodes ago when I was chairbound, it really became apparent how much this place did not work for a chairbound person.

SPEAKER_03 9:46

But you didn't consider moving, right? Because you figured what, you have another year on getting your house finished. Oh, they think it'll be done sooner than a year. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

That's really fast. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

I love hearing that.

SPEAKER_03 10:04

So as you look back, what would you say? And I I'm kind of throwing this to you, but what do you think your three most important takeaways were from this year?

SPEAKER_01 10:21

That well begun is half done that getting started on the house project and moving quickly through the steps that we were able to move through was really necessary to get in to the place that we are today I would also remind future Travis that not de get too attached to anything he owns because it is ultimately perishable and third and finally you can't keep a motherfucker down who won't be kept down.

What Do You Save Under Pressure

SPEAKER_03 12:03

That's right, Travis. There is no stopping you. That we've established over the last five years. When you set your mind to do something, you're going to do it. And I just want to put a little disclaimer on at this point. I have a new puppy. So there may be sounds of it, sounds like someone's knocking or dragging something on the floor, or you may hear a bark here and there, and there's only so much we can do with the editing. So, to our dear listeners, um, please bear with us. This is her first podcast that she's been through, and I can't account for her behavior. I'm hoping she's gonna make it the rest of the way without being a total pain, but just wanted to put that out there.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

Yes. When she's all well enged, we are a dog-friendly podcast.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

Yes, we are, for sure. No question about it.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:10

I mean, I I think it's hard when we look back, this idea of what we have, all the things we have. I remember reflecting on this so much last year in those early months of looking around my home and going, oh my, like, what would I do? What would I take? I would take me, I would take my my animal that I had. I I would, what would I take? Would I take an heirloom family photo? Would I not take those photos? I mean, I was just trying to think, like, how would I even reconcile this? Would I take my art that I love? I mean, there's so much, and each item that I have, it's not like I have a lot in my home, but it's also things that have meaning to me and not just sentimental meaning, but meaning to how I live my life and family heirlooms, and how do you value that? And is it isn't replaceable.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

Right. And that's the thing that gets me. There's not a day that goes by that I don't remember something or another and there's the part of my brain that says Well you could have stopped and grabbed that and it's true I could have stopped and grabbed any one of the things, but to have grabbed that one thing would have meant leaving another one thing. And I only had the time that I had.

SPEAKER_03 15:21

Right. I mean, you were under such a time crunch, and the fact that you got out unharmed and that the poodles got out and the cats got out, and that you and Sarah were able to make it without any major medical incident to me was very remarkable.

SPEAKER_01 15:41

Right then. We had challenges.

Resilience And Staying Present

SPEAKER_03 16:12

Oh my god, I had no idea. I don't remember hearing this part of the story, Travis.

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Down on the 134 freeway. Only fifteen minutes from where I'd started.

SPEAKER_03 16:32

Oh wow, I never heard that. I'm so sorry to hear that. That's it just adds insult to injury.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Right.

SPEAKER_03 16:42

I mean, I can't imagine what I would be saying at that moment. But it would not be pretty, I guarantee.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

It would not be pretty. Right. It was fairly explored laden, but it was also impossible to get a tow truck. Of course. No way you could get a tow truck.

SPEAKER_03 17:09

No, no, no. Oh wow. Frightening. I we never had that story told. So that just adds another layer to this whole experience.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 17:24

But you have resilience, Travis. And I say this about you all the time. I use you as a great example when I'm talking to people about resilience and perseverance. And you're able to look at this and say, okay, I couldn't take everything. I took what I could, and that had to be good enough. And I'm safe. And I think that's the part for me that's so important is that what really matters is your life, Sarah's life, your dogs, your cats. That's what's really important. And and that's I think how we have to look at our life because we never know what tomorrow is going to bring. We don't know what's going to happen in 15 minutes, right?

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Right. I mean, sometimes I go to earthquakes, yeah, exactly. Fires, floods, floods, who knows what? Tornadoes and hurricanes. Right. And each in their season all red damage.

Designing A Purpose-Built Home

SPEAKER_03 18:37

Yes. And we just don't know. What we know is right now in this moment, and we don't know if in two hours there's going to be a map, especially in Los Angeles, will there be the big one, that big earthquake that's going to take us all down? We just don't know. So the fact that you're able to stay in the present, and you have a lot, I've heard you say you have a lot of gratitude that your house is being rebuilt. And I'm assuming that you put certain things into this house that maybe you didn't have in the other house that made it more accessible for you. More thought about that. The what-ifs and planning ahead.

SPEAKER_01 19:20

Right. And we have the opportunity to start from a flat lot. Right. Which we would never have had before. Right. Because you were in the foothills. Right. And we would not have ever consciously decided to bowl those the house in the garage and take out the trees. Yes. But now that all that is done for us Curtis of the fire storm, we can step back and look at it from a blank slate.

SPEAKER_03 20:33

Which you've done in a remarkable way. I mean the the your willingness to do that, to really be accepting of that.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

Yes. And that has enabled us to put miles down that are future resilient if not future proof.

SPEAKER_03 21:04

Good. I'm glad to hear that you were able to get that all in action.

SPEAKER_01 21:09

Yes. So in addition to a new house, it is a house built purposefully. For you. Yes.

Community, Repurposed Homes, Momentum

SPEAKER_03 21:28

Right. And I think that is a great luxury that most people don't have. But there was a price to pay for that luxury, right? Yes. There's a big cost for that. There is. But I just think it's incredible. I was so glad to hear. I I did see something on the news. I thought this was kind of cool that they're repurposing houses from sort of the east side of Hollywood, that they're tearing down an area to Build a big apartment complex and they're moving houses, old houses into Altadena.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Yes, I think that all the old craftsman style from other parts of the city are coming back to Altadina.

SPEAKER_03 22:26

Which is wonderful. That made me very happy. You know, to see them getting repurposed.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

So right, right.

SPEAKER_03 22:35

Yeah, it's nice. So we're on to new things.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

Yes. Moving upward and onward. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:49

And I think that's the important part, Travis, is that you have a plan, you've been able to get the plan executed, and you can still laugh and enjoy your life. So at a time when there wasn't a lot of joy or fun over the last year, you somehow managed to make it work for you.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 23:17

And I'm very proud of you.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

And this last year hasn't been all trouble. I managed to go on some trips.

SPEAKER_03 23:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 23:36

I drove out to Minneapolis. Oh, right. And that was fun.

SPEAKER_03 23:47

You went to see Ginger, right? In Minneapolis. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

And I also went to Iceland this year and took photos, one of which won third place in a jury's show.

SPEAKER_03 24:14

Fantastic. That's great.

Finding Joy: Travel And Art

SPEAKER_01 24:17

So that was another highlight of this year.

SPEAKER_03 24:24

That's incredible.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

And I launched the book two of the Faces of Parkinson's project.

SPEAKER_03 24:37

Great. So you're working on another book? Here we go.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

Right. Right. All right. So there have been many positive things in twenty twenty-five, twenty twenty six.

SPEAKER_03 24:57

All right. This is good.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 25:03

So we're looking forward to seeing them. I always love to see the new photographs.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 25:10

Any other art shows coming up? Anything planned?

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Not real soon. I hope to do an art show with the new faces project. Good. But that will be a few months out.

SPEAKER_03 25:34

Yes, we're hoping PCLA can do Living Artistically again, and then we could do it all at the same time.

unknown 25:40

Yeah.

Inspiration, Community, Best Life

SPEAKER_03 25:40

That would be amazing. So we'll try to make that happen. We need to find a good gallery that can accommodate us. Yes. But I love that you've taken what would have been a dreadful, horrible year that could have taken anyone out and down. And you've made it work for you, Travis, in the most beautiful way. And I think that's why we're friends. I always turn to you for inspiration. And I know a lot of people in our community do as well. You know, there's there used to be a running joke around the support group when you weren't there. What would Travis do? You know? And a lot of people have said that when they they've had really bad moments or bad days and they go, Oh, what would Travis do? Oh, Travis would go climb a mountain. He would go hang from the side of a mountain if he had to. But but that's okay. He would get a well-deen, I don't know what you call the tool, but he would work with fire and steel and jeopardize his well-being with this. But you know, I I think it's really good that you're able to make these choices and you've carved out this life for yourself to make it the best life that you can possibly be and do.

SPEAKER_01 27:06

Well, that's what is the B silly slogan, right? Right?

SPEAKER_03 27:14

Live your absolute best life.

SPEAKER_01 27:17

Yep. So that's what I do.

SPEAKER_03 27:21

Well, you're the poster child, Travis. I can't think of anything better.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Thank you so much. Okay, that's a wrap. Bing.