A nearly 90-year-old Altadena woman who lost her home in the Eaton fire is making headlines for her pragmatism and positive attitude in the face of so much adversity.
Ruth Judkins, her mother and grandmother, lived in the home for 48 years. She has seen wildfires many times in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, but said nothing prepared her for the fire that started on Jan. 7.
“We were on a street of 12 houses,” Judkins told KTLA’s John Fenoglio. “Six people survived, six burned.”
As the flames closed in and her home finally burned down, she fled with only a change of clothes and her 10-year-old dog named Louie.
“He means the world to me,” she said of her pup. “My children and grandchildren don’t need me as much. He’s like my little one.”
The nearly 90-year-old grandmother of four seems to be coping with the devastating fires better than most.
“We know we don’t need all of them,” Judkins explained. “Everything is going to be smaller. We don’t need two closets full of clothes. We do.”
Ruth Judkins, 89, and her dog Louie. (KTLA) Ruth Judkins’ dog, Louis, 10 years old (KTLA)
Her humble perspective on the loss she experienced resonated with millions of people after her granddaughter posted a video on social media.
“I’m going to simplify my life because I don’t need this stuff,” she said in the video.
Judkins said she’s not only staying positive, but also determined to rebuild her home and rebuild in a sustainable way.
“Anyone building a new home needs to make sure everything is sustainable and cost-effective,” she explained. “We have to think about sustainability. We have to be in the 21st century, no matter how old we are.”
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Now a role model for many, she explained that she had what it took and that it was enough.
“I’m a very positive person. I think I’m the best person. I just think and understand things that way,” she said. “The warriors don’t have to worry. They understand that.”
One month shy of her 90th birthday, she said the most important thing to her was living more simply and helping others.
“I’m going to do what I can to help those around me who are having fun even if they don’t have much money,” she said.
A GoFundMe has been organized by her granddaughter to help Judkins and her sister rebuild after the deadly fire.
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