Helping My Son Find Normalcy After Devastating Loss

-A Story of Love and Resilience -

My name is Samera Arkel, and Altadena has been my family’s home for over 65 years. It’s where my parents raised five children, where my son grew up, and where I built my small business, 409 Woodbury, from the ground up.

This community isn’t just where we live—it’s where we love, connect, and take care of one another. For decades, our family home was a place of refuge, not just for us but for anyone who needed comfort. My parents’ doors were always open—to friends who needed a safe place to land, to neighbors who had fallen on hard times, to family members who needed a fresh start. My father, in his quiet strength, made sure that this home would never be sold, that it would always be a sanctuary. My mother and I have spent years looking after our elderly neighbors, bringing them soup when they were sick, carrying in their mail when they couldn’t, and sitting with them when they felt alone. Our lives were built around community, around giving. And then, in an instant, everything changed. A devastating fire tore through our neighborhood and took it all. My parents’ home, the heart of our family, was reduced to ashes. My siblings’ homes, filled with love and laughter, disappeared. My own home, where I raised my son, where we celebrated birthdays and holidays, was gone. Even 409 Woodbury, the event space I created after losing my clothing stores in the pandemic—the space where people came together to celebrate, to dream, to connect—was badly damaged. It’s hard to put into words what it means to lose everything that made you feel safe, rooted, and whole. The places that held our happiest memories are no longer standing, but the love that built them—that love still remains. Altadena has always been more than a home to me. It’s where I’ve poured my heart into helping others, where my family has given without hesitation. And while the landscape has changed, while the buildings have turned to dust, the spirit of this community is unshaken. We’ve always believed that when you give, you don’t just change someone else’s life—you build something greater than yourself. And even now, as we face the unimaginable, that belief has not wavered. This is not just a story of loss. It’s a story of love, resilience, and the power of a community that has always lifted each other up. The road ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear—Altadena is still home.