Rory Sykes was tragically killed at his family's estate in Malibu, California, on Wednesday, his mother confirmed through a social media post.
An Australian man, once an inspirational figure in his youth, is among the victims of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, according to his family.
Rory Sykes, 32, who gained media attention as a child for speaking about living with disabilities, including cerebral palsy, and later worked as a motivational speaker, passed away at his family’s home in Malibu, California, on Wednesday, January 8. His mother, Shelley Sykes, shared the news in a post on X.
"It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my beautiful son, @Rorysykes, in the Malibu fires yesterday," Shelley wrote on Thursday, January 9, expressing that she was "totally heartbroken" over the loss of her "wonderful son."
Rory, who was born blind, had been living in Sydney, Australia, before recently moving to the U.S., his mother said, as reported by Australian outlet 9 News.
He was staying in a cottage on his family’s 17-acre Malibu estate when he died, his mother wrote on X.
“I couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off ... Even the 50 brave firefighters had no water all day," Shelley wrote.
(Amid criticism about reports of lack of water, L.A. officials have said there was a temporary drop in water pressure and some water tanks ran dry due to "tremendous demand.")
Before his passing, Rory "overcame numerous challenges through surgeries and therapies to regain his sight and learn to walk," and was eager to explore the world "despite the pain," as his mother, who also wrote a book about him, shared.
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