Anthony Mitchell Sr., pictured above, was helping his son Justin, who has cerebral palsy, practice reading by flipping through the newspaper. Both died in the Eaton fire.
Anthony Mitchell Jr.
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Anthony Mitchell Jr.
A week before the California wildfires, Anthony Mitchell Sr. told his son Anthony Mitchell Jr. that what he cherished most in life was not money or possessions, but his family.
Those words have stuck with Anthony Jr. since he found out his father and younger brother Justin had died in the Eaton fire last week. The fire, which remains active, has become the deadliest fire of the epidemic. On Monday, it left at least 16 dead.
“He believed in his family and I think that’s one of the reasons it cost him his life, because he wasn’t going to leave my younger brother,” Anthony Jr. told NPR.
On the morning of January 8, Anthony Sr. called his son and other children to let them know he was waiting for help to evacuate himself and Justin. Anthony Sr. was an amputee while his son Justin suffered from cerebral palsy. They both used wheelchairs, according to Anthony Jr.
But after a few hours, Anthony Jr. said he received a call from another family member saying his father and younger brother had not evacuated. Family members are still seeking more information about the events surrounding the deaths of Anthony Sr. and Justin.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for additional information about the incident.
Anthony Jr. said he knows why his father stayed.
“Even though he was missing a leg, he had a prosthetic. He could have gotten into the wheelchair and gotten out of the fire zone, but he wasn’t going to leave my brother,” he said . “There was no way my father would leave him. He wouldn’t leave any of his children.”
Anthony Sr., who worked in sales, lived in the Altadena area for more than two decades. He was an experienced pit master, capable of smoking anything from fish to ribs. He loved cooking for others and hosting large gatherings at his home for loved ones.
This determination towards his family was always apparent. Anthony Jr. said that even after his parents divorced, his father did everything possible to be involved in his life. “If he found out I was having problems at school, my father would show up and meet with the principal,” he said.
Hajime White, Anthony Sr.’s daughter, reiterated that her father was a devoted parent. “He always told me, ‘I’ll do anything for you,'” she told NPR. “He said, ‘You tell me to jump, I’ll say, how high?'”
White also recalled his father helping Justin practice reading and speaking by going through the newspaper together.
“When he was getting the paper, Justin had a certain article in the paper that he had to read too,” she said.
Recently, Anthony Jr. remembers talking with his father about all the exciting plans for the new year, including a possible trip to Japan to visit Anthony Jr.’s son and a Fourth of July barbecue.
“We were getting everything ready for a big old family to get together,” he said.
NPR’s Kira Wakeam contributed reporting.
Learn more about the California wildfires
Resources to help you stay safe:
➡️ With fire risk still high, authorities implore you to follow evacuation orders
➡️ What to do – and what not to do – when returning home from a fire evacuation
➡️ Is there smoke in your house? Here’s how to make an air purifier from a box fan
➡️Trying to stay safe during a wildfire? There is an app that can help you
Ways to support response and recovery:
➡️ Want to help fire victims? Here’s what experts say does the most good and where to look for volunteers
➡️ Wildfire Donations and Volunteering: How and Where to Help
➡️ Share: Here are the steps to follow by fire victims to submit an insurance claim.
The California Newsroom is tracking severe weather across the region. Click to LAist cover for the last one.