An actress and artist who appeared in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers” has died following the Los Angeles fires.
Dalyce Curry, who also appeared in films such as “The Ten Commandments” and “Lady Sings the Blues,” died in the Eaton fire. She was 95 years old.
On Sunday shortly before 6 p.m., the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed to her family that the former actress’ remains had been found in her burned home, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.
Known to those close to her as Momma D, Curry was last seen Tuesday when her granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, dropped her off around midnight at her home in Altadena, Calif., the area reportedly hardest affected by the Eaton fire.
Kelley, who cared for Curry part-time, told ABC7 that her grandmother was exhausted when she brought her home, after spending the entire day at a local hospital.
The Eaton Fire had broken out a few hours earlier, and Kelley did not believe the fire would grow so quickly and have such devastating effects.
After receiving a text alert later that night that there was a power outage at Curry’s house, she ran to see her grandmother.
But by the time she reached Mama D’s Altadena neighborhood, it was too late.
“I’m sorry your grandmother’s belongings are missing,” a law enforcement officer told Kelley when she arrived at the edge of the burn zone, which was cordoned off. “It burned completely.”
The officer suggested Kelley look for her grandmother at the Pasadena Civic Center, where displaced residents were seeking shelter as the fire raged.
Unfortunately for Kelley and her family, they didn’t find Mom D that night and began to fear the worst.
Kelley was able to visit what remained of her grandmother’s house Friday, thanks to the National Guard escorting her to the scene.
“It was total devastation,” Kelley told ABC7. “Everything was gone except his blue Cadillac.”
On Sunday, shortly before hearing the news of her grandmother’s death, Kelley said she was “still praying for a miracle” but wasn’t holding out hope.
“Honestly, we don’t really have hope that she’ll still be here with us,” she confessed.
Described as part of Old Black Hollywood in the 1950s, Momma D was said to have performed for decades.
Working regularly as a background actress, Curry was seen in legendary films such as “The Ten Commandments,” “The Blues Brothers” and “Lady Sings the Blues.”
Loree Beamer-Wilkinson, another of Curry’s granddaughters, said she was still energetic despite her age.
“She was very active, you wouldn’t think she was 95,” she said.
In a Facebook post Sunday, Kelley paid tribute to her late grandmother.
“We had an excellent run. She impacted my life in so many ways,” Kelley wrote. “This loss is devastating.”
As of Monday, the combined death toll from the Los Angeles fires that began last week stood at at least 24 people. Nearly 200,000 more people were displaced and 39,000 acres of land were burned.