Former Australian child star Rory Sykes, who was born blind and had cerebral palsy, died Wednesday in the California wildfires despite his mother’s frantic efforts to save him from their burning Malibu home as she claimed available water was “switched off.”
Shelley Sykes said in a post on X her 32-year-old son had lived with her on a 17 acre property in Malibu and after she lost the water supply to hoses she was using to extinguish embers on the home’s roof.
“It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @Rorysykes to the Malibu fires yesterday,” Sykes said in a post on social media site X – formerly known as Twitter.
“I’m totally heart broken. British born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandmas birthday 29 July 92, Rory Callum Sykes.”
It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @Rorysykes to the Malibu fires yesterday. I’m totally heart broken. British born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandmas birthday 29 July 92, Rory Callum… pic.twitter.com/X77xyk83gx
— Shelley Sykes (@shelleysykes) January 9, 2025
Sykes said her son was born blind, lived with cerebral palsy and stayed in a self-contained cottage on the property.
She told Australian outlet 10 News phone calls she made to the emergency line did not connect.
“He said ‘Mum, leave me’ and no mum could leave their kid. I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him,” Sykes told 10 News.
She said she then drove 500-yards to the nearest fire station to raise the alarm, only to be told there were no water reserves in local fire hydrants.
“When the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burnt to the ground,” Sykes told 10 News.
NBC News reports a spokesperson for Las Virgenes Municipal Water denied her claims, saying the “water service did remain available and uninterrupted to her property and the entire surrounding community.”
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“Our water system remained operational and we did provide water to the firefighters throughout the emergency and without interruption,” the spokesperson said.
She noted her son’s death is not yet counted in the official death toll from the Los Angeles fires because cadaver dogs would need to locate his remains among the rubble of his home.
The deceased Australian actor was best known for his starring role on the British TV show Kiddy Kapers from 1998-99
More recently, the pair had founded Happy Charity and he was “a true humanitarian,” his mom shared in her tribute.
