83-year-old who lost home and daughter in Eaton Fire gets first look at damageon February 2, 2025 at 9:09 pm

Evelyn Cathirell visited her home for the first time since it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. Not only did the fire take her home, it also claimed the life of her daughter, Evelyn McClendon.

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Her daughter, Evelyn McClendon, was a retired Pasadena school bus driver who loved her family and her faith.

Sunday, February 2, 2025 3:39PM

83-year-old gets first look at Altadena home destroyed in Eaton Fire

Evelyn Cathirell and the rest of the family escaped that night. Her daughter was last seen packing up her car, but the 59-year-old’s remains were later found in her bedroom.

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) — As the sun beamed down on Altadena on Saturday, a heartbroken mother was filled with emotion.

Evelyn Cathirell visited her home for the first time since it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. Not only did the fire take her home, it also claimed the life of her daughter, Evelyn McClendon.

“It’s all burnt up … it’s not here,” said Cathirell as she looked around. “This is nothing that I recall. The fire was moving so fast. It was burning … it was very hot.”

Cathirell and the rest of the family escaped that night. McClendon’s was last seen packing up her car, but the 59-year-old’s remains were later found in her bedroom.

McClendon’s family is now one of several suing Southern California Edison for the deaths of their loved ones. Seventeen lives were lost in the ferocious fire.

“I am hurt, I’m angry, I’m sad,” said McClendon’s brother Zaire Calvin. “I’ve been through gang life, wars, all kinds of stuff throughout my whole life … and there’s nothing comparable to this feeling at all. Period.”

McClendon was a retired Pasadena school bus driver who loved her family and her faith. Her loved ones spent Saturday afternoon digging through the rubble to find her 83-year-old mother any treasures they could.

They were able to save small things like a coffee mug from her travels.

McClendon’s family said they want SCE held accountable. Not only have they lost a loved one and four of the family’s homes, but their entire community is gone.

Decades of history reduced to ash.

“How beautiful our neighborhood was is insane to even see it like this,” said Calvin as he held back tears. “It’s hard every time, and I’ve been up there a hundred times, and each time it doesn’t make it any better.”

Calvin said he doesn’t want his sister’s death to be in vain and wants to ensure his community will continue.

“This devastation and this pain is nothing you can process, so every time, it’s an ongoing nightmare every single day, and it doesn’t stop,” he said.

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