Rory Callum Sykes, 32, a former child actor known for his role in the 1990s British TV series Kiddy Kapers, has been identified as one of the victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Sykes tragically passed away on January 8 at his family’s home in Malibu, California, his mother, Shelley Sykes, confirmed in a heartfelt post on X.
The British-born actor, who was blind and lived with cerebral palsy, had been residing in Sydney, Australia, before his recent move to the United States, according to the Australian outlet Nine News. His mother revealed that he had been staying in a cottage on his family’s 17-acre estate in Malibu when he tragically lost his life in the fires.
Shelley Sykes tearfully recounted her attempt to save her son but was unable to due to an injury. “He said, ‘Mom, leave me,’ and no mother can leave their child,” she told the outlet 10News First. “I had a broken arm—I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him.”
The fire department later confirmed that Rory died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the wildfire. As of Friday, January 10, the Los Angeles wildfires, which began on January 7, have claimed at least 11 lives.
