Family loses 5 generations of memories in LA's Eaton Fire

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A family in Altadena, California is mourning the loss of five generations of memories that were destroyed in the deadly Eaton Fire.

Janice Jackson, 77, was born in Pittsburgh, but moved to Altadena as a teenager in 1964. Her mother was the second Black woman to live in the community, according to her family.

Her lively yellow home was just as bright on the inside as it was on the outside.

"That's the residence that my mom, the family lived in, the one that I was in, and that's gone," said Jackson.

MORE: SoCal Wildfires - How You Can Help

As sirens could be heard in the distance and flames still burned, Jackson's nephew filmed what was left of the family home after the Eaton Fire ripped through the area.

"I left things at the house," Jackson said. "My daughter said, 'Let's go back.' I said, 'We'll get it tomorrow.' So many of us did that. Tomorrow didn't come."

There were five generations of memories in the home, including many with her 68-year-old brother who has special needs, who loved to come home for the holidays.

Now, much of her family is displaced and navigating through the insurance process.

"Trying to get toiletries, you know, getting excited over a comb and brush, you know, because we had nothing," she said.

Jackson was, however, able to to get a hotel room.

RELATED: 3 generations of Black families lose 7 homes in Eaton Fire

"I'm here in this hotel," she said. "I wake up every morning hoping that it's a dream and I can go home, but that's not gonna happen."

Still, Jackson, who retired just over 10 years ago, hopes to rebuild and make a new home with new memories.

"I'm the matriarch of the family, so I want to be there for them as long as I can and maybe build another home where they can be feel safe," she said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family rebuild after the fire.

Take a look at the latest stories and videos on the devastating Southern California wildfires here.