A man left his mother a heartbreaking final voice message before he tragically died in the LA fires.
The wildfires, which have already destroyed thousands of homes, have left at least 25 people dead, with officials warning that the toll could rise as fires continue to spread.
CNN reports that over six million residents in the Los Angeles area remain under a critical fire threat.
Randy Miod, 55, who owned a property in Malibu, became one of the many victims of this disaster.
Carol Smith, Randy’s mother, recalled the final conversation she had with her son.
Speaking to People, she shared: “He would always call me anytime there was a fire coming. He was almost in tears on Tuesday when I talked to him, and he said, ‘Mom, there's another fire in the Palisades. I can see the smoke.’ I said, ‘Randy, grab your cat and go to a shelter. Don't make me worry.’”
Smith expressed her concerns about Randy’s refusal to evacuate during wildfires.
“I've worried so much about him because in all the fires that he's been through, he never evacuated any of them. He always stayed. He always felt that he could hose the house down with his hose.”
Later that day, Randy left a voicemail for his mother, reiterating his love and concern for their community.
“The last thing he said to me was, ‘Pray for the Palisades and pray for Malibu, and I love you,’” Smith said.
“He called me at home and I wasn't here, and he left a message on my phone, the same thing that we talked about when he called me on my cellphone. And I have that message, and I will keep it forever.”
Randy was found the following day, January 8, behind his Malibu home. Authorities determined he died from smoke inhalation and thermal heat as he attempted to protect his property.
Randy’s mother fondly remembers him as someone who loved life and drew people to him. “Everybody in Malibu knew him. I mean, he's beyond a legend there. He's almost iconic,” she said.
She shared that his friends are planning to honor him in ways befitting his legacy, including placing a photo at Duke’s, a renowned Malibu restaurant featuring legendary surfers.
Though Randy never married or had children, his mother takes pride in the man he became.
She said: "He always said to me, ‘Mom, I'm waiting for a good Christian woman...’ There’s not one person that I know that has anything negative to say about him — nobody.”
Smith concluded with a heartfelt tribute to her son: “I'm proud that he turned out in the end like the person that he did. I'll have some really good memories of him, starting from day one.”
Our thoughts are with Randy's loved ones, and all those affected by the fires.