Celebrated actor and poker aficionado James Woods misplaced his home within the Los Angeles wildfires this week, however not earlier than he orchestrated the rescue of his 94-year-old neighbor.
Actor James Woods, pictured above, cried as he recalled how his California home burned down in a wildfire. Woods additionally helped to avoid wasting an aged neighbor. (Picture: X)
In an interview with CNN’s Pamela Brown, Woods fought again tears as he recalled Tuesday’s occasions in his Pacific Palisades neighborhood. It began when Woods noticed the enflamed properties on his avenue which resembled an “inferno… Each home was on fireplace round us,” he remembered.
Woods had simply evacuated and he instantly thought in regards to the aged man who lives subsequent door and who suffers from dementia.
Woods Repeatedly Known as
Woods determined to make a fast name to the 94-year-old man’s son, who lives in Massachusetts. He requested him if his father was nonetheless within the hospital. The son stated no and that his father had gone dwelling the earlier evening. Plus, his father had a brand new caregiver and nobody had her telephone quantity, the son stated.
Woods was informed he couldn’t return to examine on the aged neighbor so he known as 911 and informed them to do a security examine.
However given the chaos within the area, Woods determined he additionally higher contact one other neighbor who nonetheless was dwelling. He reached that neighbor, who went over to the house of the aged man.
The door was open, so he shouted out for the person. There was no response.
Nobody was there, the youthful neighbor informed Woods. However Woods remained involved.
Simply go behind the pantry,” Woods suggested. “There’s just a little room. We are able to see him throughout the day. He likes to take a seat there as a result of there’s a backyard.”
The youthful neighbor adopted Wooden’s instructions.
“He went in, and located him,” Woods informed CNN. “He had been left alone.”
He received him out,” Woods added. “And the home burned down about an hour later. He would have been in there alone.”
It turned out that the hearth division made the brand new caregiver go away. They informed her they might return for the older man.
With out Woods’ assist, the 94-year-old might have died. As an alternative, he was taken to a neighborhood hospital and given therapy.
“God was on his facet,” Woods stated.
Misplaced His Home
Woods cried as he recalled to CNN how he and his spouse spent the final three years renovating their Pacific Palisades home. They moved in three months in the past.
Given the views from the property, “it was paradise,” Woods stated. Nevertheless it’s not.
Sooner or later you’re swimming within the pool. And the following day, it’s all gone,” he stated.
Woods has expertise with fires. When he was six years previous, his household’s home burned down
There are some classes from your complete expertise. “Folks have gotten to evacuate once they inform you to evacuate… You’ve received to be out of the best way,” Woods stated. He added that firefighters, in addition to police and different emergency staff do an “superb job.” They’re there to assist. So too are neighbors and family.
As an illustration, Woods’ spouse, Sara Miller-Woods, was provided a piggy financial institution from their eight-year-old niece to assist the Woods begin to rebuild.
Once more, he cried whereas retelling the expertise with their niece. He apologized to Brown for the tears.
However Brown informed him, “Power is just not measured by whether or not you maintain in crying … Power is what you’re doing now in serving to your neighbors and shining a lightweight on the nice, superb work of all these firefighters and emergency crews.”
Poker, Playing Background
In his spare time, Woods is an everyday at poker tournaments in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles, having participated within the World Collection of Poker. Among the many motion pictures he’s appeared in is “On line casino.” He performed the character Lester Diamond.
