Former Australian Child Star Rory Sykes Dies in California Wildfires

Rory Sykes, a former Australian child actor who was born blind and had cerebral palsy, tragically lost his life on Wednesday in the California wildfires. His mother, Shelley Sykes, revealed that she was unable to rescue him as their home was overtaken by the flames.

In an emotional post on Thursday, Shelley shared the devastating news: “With deep sadness, I announce the passing of my beautiful son @Rorysykes in the Malibu fires yesterday. My heart is shattered,” she wrote, calling him “a wonderful son.”

Former Australian Child Star Rory Sykes Dies in California Wildfires

Rory, 32, had faced challenges throughout his life due to his blindness and difficulty walking, a result of his cerebral palsy. He was known for his role in the British children’s TV series Kiddy Kapers in the late 1990s. At the time of the fire, Rory was living in a small cottage on his family’s 17-acre Malibu property.

Shelley explained that when the Palisades Fire broke out on Tuesday, she tried to fight the flames but was unable to douse the embers with a hose due to a lack of water. The fire spread quickly, burning through much of the area. “He told me, ‘Mom, leave me.’ But no mother could ever leave their child,” Shelley said tearfully.

She made a desperate trip to the local fire station for help, only to be told they didn’t have any water. By the time the firefighters returned with her, Rory’s cottage had been completely destroyed.

According to reports from 10 News First, firefighters later informed Shelley that her son had died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to the smoke and fire. While his death hasn’t yet been officially included in the wildfire’s death toll, the tragedy is part of a devastating wave of destruction across the region.

As of Saturday, the wildfires had claimed at least 11 lives and scorched over 39,000 acres in the Los Angeles area, with thousands of homes destroyed. Firefighters are still battling the flames.