On the one year anniversary of the devastating Camp Fire that killed 85 people and leveled much of the town of Paradise, a former San Francisco woman who lost both her father and step-brother is taking life "minute by minute."
Angela Loo grew up in San Francisco with her father, musician Ernest Foss Junior. After leaving the Bay Area, Loo moved to Portland, and her father moved to Paradise where her step-brother Andrew Burt joined him to serve as his caregiver. Foss had been diagnosed with Lymphedema, a medical condition that had left him bedridden.
When the Camp Fire hit Paradise, both Foss and Burt died while trying to escape the flames.
Foss’s body was discovered in the driveway. Burt’s body was found about a mile away with the body of the pair’s dog, Bernice, who also died.
Despite her grief, Loo said in a way she’s happy that her family did not have to suffer as long as some of the other victims.
"Their problems were over for them the minute they were overtaken in that firestorm," she said. "For so many people that’s not what happened. And thank goodness, thank goodness they made it through. I mean, they’re still suffering, I’m still suffering, it’s so raw."
On Friday she plans to attend multiple events to pay tribute to the Camp Fire victims where she will hand out flyers notifying survivors that a Camp Fire insurance claim deadline was recently extended. Survivors now have until Dec. 31, 2019 to file.
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She said helping others will help in her healing process.
