Shelley Sykes with her son, Rory Sykes (Image: X)
Rory Sykes, a former child star from the 1990s British show Kiddy Kapers, died in the Los Angeles wildfires on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old, who was born with cerebral palsy and overcame immense challenges in his life, succumbed to the fire while in his cottage on the family’s 17-acre Malibu estate.
His mother, Shelley Sykes, a co-star and host of Kiddy Kapers, shared the news on social media, writing, “It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son… I’m totally heartbroken.”
According to Shelley, Rory’s death occurred after she was unable to extinguish the cinders on his roof due to the water being shut off by Las Virgenes Municipal Water. “Even the 50 brave firefighters had no water all day,” she added. Shelley’s broken arm prevented her from removing Rory, who had difficulty walking, from the burning structure.
“He said, ‘Mom, leave me,’” Shelley told Australia’s 10 News First. “No mom can leave their kid.”
By the time she returned with firefighters, it was too late. Authorities reported Rory died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Despite being born blind and unable to walk, Rory underwent surgeries and therapies that allowed him to regain his sight and learn to walk. By age 8, he was an inspirational speaker for Tony Robbins and co-founded Happy Charity with his mother.
“He overcame so much… Despite the pain, he still enthused about traveling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica,” Shelley wrote in a heartfelt post, highlighting his achievements and his love for technology, Apple products, and gaming, especially RuneScape.
Rory’s death occurred as wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles County. The Pacific Palisades Fire, which began Tuesday, has consumed over 21,000 acres and more than 5,000 structures across the Palisades and Malibu. As of Saturday, the fire was only 11% contained, with additional homes in Brentwood now under threat.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has recorded 24 deaths from the wildfires so far.
Rory is survived by his mother, Shelley, and his beloved pet peacocks, Edgee and Mickie. “He will be incredibly missed by me and his fans around the world,” Shelley wrote.
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