The California wildfires have taken the lives of 11 people across the Palised and Eaton fires. Among them are Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, a 20-year-old who suffered from cerebral palsy. Father and son died tragically after Mitchell waited for an ambulance for his disabled son in Altadena, California.
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The Washington Post reported the tragic passing of Mitchell and Justin. The outlet talked with Hajime White, Mitchell's daughter, who recounted the last words she exchanged with her father before his heartbreaking death alongside his son.
"He said 'Baby, I'm just letting you know the fire's broke out. and we're going to have to evacuate,'" White told the outlet. "Then he said, 'I've got to go — the fire's in the yard.'"
Mitchell lived in his Altadena home alongside his son Justin. The 67-year-old is a retired salesman and also an amputee. According to the outlet, he uses a wheelchair. His son, Justin, had cerebral palsy, which required special assistance and forced him to use a computer to communicate and read.
The pair waited for an ambulance to collect them, but the emergency vehicle never arrived. Jordan, Mitchell's other son, lived with them too but was at the hospital.
Eventually, authorities found both Mitchell and Justin dead in Justin's bed, believing he was attempting to save him from the fires. "He was not going to leave his son behind. No matter what," White said. "It's very hard. It's like a ton of bricks just fell on me."
Remembering Anthony Mitchell
Remembered as a "bighearted man," Anthony Mitchell loved his family. He had four children, 11 grandchildren, and an impressive 10 great-grandchildren. According to White, he would nickname all his great-grandchildren to keep track of them.
"He had nicknames for everybody," White said. "Strawberry Shortcake, Marshmallow, Bug, he just went on and on."
Currently, White is waiting for the wildfire situation to improve so that she can travel to make funeral arrangements for Mitchell and Justin.
Anthony Mitchell and Justin are among the few victims who have been identified during the California wildfires. According to the Daily Mail, identifying victims can be challenging due to the estate of the remains, forcing authorities to use dental records and DNA.
"Please also keep in mind, traditional means of identification such as fingerprinting and visual identification may not be available and will add more time for naming these decedents," the LA medical examiner said in a statement.
