Former Child Actor Rory Sykes Dies in Malibu Wildfire

Rory Callum Sykes, a 32-year-old former child actor, died in a wildfire that engulfed his family’s Malibu estate on Jan. 8, his mother Shelley Sykes announced. Sykes, who was blind and had cerebral palsy, was trapped in a cottage on the 17-acre property when embers from the Palisades Fire ignited the roof.

Shelley Sykes shared on social media that she attempted to save her son but was unable to due to a broken arm. “He said, ‘Mom leave me’ and no mom can leave their kid,” she told Australian outlet 10 News First. She also claimed that the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District had shut off the water supply, leaving her unable to extinguish the flames.

Firefighters confirmed to Shelley that Rory died from carbon monoxide poisoning. His death has not yet been included in the official death toll of the Los Angeles wildfires, which have claimed at least 11 lives as of Jan. 10.

Rory, who appeared in the British TV show ‘Kiddy Kapers’ in the 1990s, had recently relocated from Sydney, Australia, to the U.S. His mother described him as a resilient individual who had overcome significant challenges, including regaining partial sight and learning to walk despite his disabilities.

The Malibu estate, featured on Shelley’s reality TV show ‘Get Syked with Style,’ was destroyed in the blaze. Shelley expressed her heartbreak, saying, “He will be incredibly missed.”