Mom and 3 Teen Daughters Lost Everything in L.A. Fires, Including Their Pets. Follow Them as They Rebuild (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Monique Marez – with daughters(from left) Malia, Alianna and Laila — stand in the charred rubble of their destroyed Pacific Palisades home on Feb. 2.Photo:Kyle Grillot

Malia Marshall, Monique Marez, Alianna Marshall, and Laila Marshall stand in the rubble of their destroyed home in Los Angeles, California Sunday, February, 2, 2025.

Kyle Grillot

Moments after Monique Marez spotted theblack, billowing plumes of smokefilling the horizon on the morning of Jan. 7 not far from the boutique where she works in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood, she jumped in her car and started racing back to her home, normally just seven minutes away.

She didn’t get far before traffic on Sunset Boulevard ground to a halt and a police officershouted for her to runtoward the ocean.

All around,L.A. was burning.

“It was complete chaos,” recalls Monique, 43, who decided to take off on foot back to her neighborhood, determined to push through choking smoke and retrieve her two dogs and two cats from the home she shared with her daughters — twins Alianna and Laila, both 17, and Malia, 15 — who were at school.

By the time Monique reached her street, her neighbors’ homes were ablaze and she reluctantly turned back. Her four-bedroom rental house was reduced to ash.

“Every day I wake up hoping all this is a dream,” she says. “But I don’t care about the stuff. All I can think about is our dogs and cats. I feel so guilty.”

Yet despite losing so much, Monique (who shares her daughters with ex Aaron Marshall) and her kids know they are relatively lucky, with resources to face the struggle of rebuilding their lives.

“As bad as it is, there are people that are worse off,” says Alianna. Little sister Malia, who helped distribute aid to other victims, agrees: “Being there [for them] made everything feel different and made me forget my situation.”

In recent weeks PEOPLE followed the family’s journey toward a new normal.

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01of 10Surveying the DamageKyle GrillotMonique — at the entrance to a local trailhead near her destroyed home, on Jan. 25 — relived the day her family lost everything in the Jan. 7 fire. “It’s like this is a chapter in my life that I need to close, heal and then move on from,” she says.

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Surveying the Damage

Monique Marez relives the day that her family lost their home, two dogs, and two cats in the Palisades fire while talking to Los Angeles firefighters at the entrance to Paseo Miramar trailhead, a hike she would take regularly with her two dogs, Gigi and Cosmo.

Monique — at the entrance to a local trailhead near her destroyed home, on Jan. 25 — relived the day her family lost everything in the Jan. 7 fire. “It’s like this is a chapter in my life that I need to close, heal and then move on from,” she says.

02of 10Sifting Through the RubbleKyle GrillotMonique and daughter Alianna looked through the remains of their kitchen on a Jan. 25 visit to their former home.

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Sifting Through the Rubble

Monique Marez and her daughter, Arianna Marshall, look through the remains of their kitchen after their home was destroyed by the Palisades fire, Sunday, January 25, 2025.

Monique and daughter Alianna looked through the remains of their kitchen on a Jan. 25 visit to their former home.

03of 10Support from FriendsKyle GrillotThe family has received numerous cards of support from friends since the fire, including a reminder about resilience.

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Support from Friends

A card sits at the families temporary housing situation after losing their home in the Palisades fire in Los Angeles, California, Saturday, January 18, 2025.

The family has received numerous cards of support from friends since the fire, including a reminder about resilience.

04of 10A Lucky FindKyle GrillotMonique found her father’s wedding ring in the ashes of her destroyed home.

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A Lucky Find

Monique Marez holds her fathers wedding ring, found in the ashes of her destroyed home in Los Angeles, California Sunday, February, 2, 2025.

Monique found her father’s wedding ring in the ashes of her destroyed home.

05of 10Tearful Thanks as Friends RallyKyle GrillotDonations soon began piling up at the home of a friend in L.A. where the family has been staying, and a fundraiser brought in thousands of dollars. “I have a really beautiful group [around me],” Monique (on Jan. 17) says.

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Tearful Thanks as Friends Rally

Monique Marez looks through bags of donations after losing all of her families belongings in the Palisades fire. A friend offered her family a place to stay while they look for more permanent housing, in Los Angeles, California Friday, January 17, 2025.

Donations soon began piling up at the home of a friend in L.A. where the family has been staying, and a fundraiser brought in thousands of dollars. “I have a really beautiful group [around me],” Monique (on Jan. 17) says.

06of 10Missing Their Beloved PetsKyle GrillotMalia (right, with Laila on Jan. 17) has been checking the websites of local animal shelters to see if anyone might have found their dogs — Cosmo and Gigi — and cats — Merlin and Sixx — who are believed to have died in the wildfires.

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Missing Their Beloved Pets

Laila Marshall, 17, left, and her sister, Malia Marshall, 15, attend school remotely in between glances at pet adoption websites after losing their home, two dogs, and two cats in the Palisades fire in Los Angeles, California Friday, January 17, 2025.

Malia (right, with Laila on Jan. 17) has been checking the websites of local animal shelters to see if anyone might have found their dogs — Cosmo and Gigi — and cats — Merlin and Sixx — who are believed to have died in the wildfires.

07of 10Finding Comfort in New ClothesKyle GrillotMonique and her girls say they’re fortunate to be able to buy new items after losing their favorite things. Alianna (left) and Laila went to a store in Venice, Calif., on Jan. 18 while it was offering discounts and donations for fire victims. “I feel lucky to have a roof over my head,” says Alianna, “but I feel awful for the families who aren’t able to.

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Finding Comfort in New Clothes

Alianna Marshall, 17, left, and her twin sister, Laila Marshall, 17, shop at Frankie’s Bikinis, who was giving away items to those affected by the fires, after losing their home, two dogs, and two cats in the Palisades fire in Los Angeles, California Saturday, January 18, 2025

Monique and her girls say they’re fortunate to be able to buy new items after losing their favorite things. Alianna (left) and Laila went to a store in Venice, Calif., on Jan. 18 while it was offering discounts and donations for fire victims. “I feel lucky to have a roof over my head,” says Alianna, “but I feel awful for the families who aren’t able to.

08of 10Extending a Helping HandKyle GrillotMonique (center) distributed toiletries to fire victims in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 25. “When you see so many people in need — it’s surreal,” she explains. “I’m so grateful for those who helped us that I had to give back.

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Extending a Helping Hand

Monique Marez organizes donated goods to be distributed to those affected by the fires at Pasadena Church East Campus, Sunday, January 25, 2025.

Monique (center) distributed toiletries to fire victims in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 25. “When you see so many people in need — it’s surreal,” she explains. “I’m so grateful for those who helped us that I had to give back.

09of 10Searching for a New HomeKyle GrillotMonique pored over listings of houses for rent in west L.A., but reports of price gouging and an increase in demand made it hard to find a home close her daughters' school in Santa Monica, Calif.

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Searching for a New Home

Monique Marez looks through listings of houses for rent after her home was destroyed in the Palisades fire. Price gouging, and an increase in demand has made it hard to find home close enough to her children’s school in west Los Angeles. A friend offered her family a place to stay while they look for more permanent housing, in Los Angeles, California Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Monique pored over listings of houses for rent in west L.A., but reports of price gouging and an increase in demand made it hard to find a home close her daughters' school in Santa Monica, Calif.

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Carrying On

Alianna Marshall, 17, left, and her twin sister, Laila Marshall, 17, prepare for a day of looking for a new house, and shopping through donated clothing after losing their home, two dogs, and two cats in the Palisades fire in Los Angeles, California Saturday, January 18, 2025.

source: people.com