Wildfires

Altadena man meets ‘guardian angels' who saved his home from the Eaton Fire

An Altadena homeowner discovered a business card that led him to find the rescue team who had saved his home from the wildfire.

NBC Universal, Inc.

Two Altadena Mountain Rescue team members went to visit a home they saved in the Eaton Fire, NBCLA reunited the team with the grateful Altadena homeowner. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on January 30, 2025. 

An Altadena homeowner was reunited Thursday with his "guardian angels" who saved his home from the Eaton Fire.

The angels, Dan Paige, a reserve deputy sheriff, and Dimitry Lebko, a civilian volunteer with Altadena Mountain Rescue Team were called to action the night of the Eaton Fire to help evacuees. 

“We were pulling people out of wheelchairs, loading them in personal vehicles, loading them in our cars, just anything we could to get people out of here,” Paige said.

But, when they saw the fire approaching Steve Schklair’s home on Loma Alta Drive, they said their instincts took over. 

“I pulled a hose from this house and the neighboring house and started doing what I could to extinguish as much of the fire as we could,” Lebko said.

Days later, Paige went back to the two homes he saved that night and left a note to express how happy he was to see the house still standing. 

Schklair found the note and, with the help of the NBC4 team, the group was brought together.

“We evacuated to a motel. We're watching the news all night. And we're watching the fires going. There's no way the house makes it through this,” Schklair said.” I was shocked that it was still here. And I said, ‘No, we must have guardian angels.’ So then I found your card. I said, ‘Our guardian angels wear badges.’” 

Schklair is not back in his home yet, but promises the group will reunite again.

“You've got a steak dinner in the future someday when we get back in here,” said Schklair.

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