When I recorded this episode with Tessa and Ella Fortich in June, I didn't know it would be the last for a while, but it turned out to be the perfect season finale. My intention for this podcast has been to shed light on the experience of childhood and adolescent grief, and there's no better way to do that than to hear from kids and young adults themselves. Tessa and Ella Fortich set a great example by being open and honest about their feelings and what has helped them get through the last few months since their home was destroyed and Tessa's school was badly damaged. This conversation with two sisters, who are Altadena residents and grew up in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains that burned in the Eaton Fire in January 2025, is a powerful example of peers supporting one another through loss. I've seen this before at grief camps where kids who don't necessarily know each other very well benefit immensely from giving and receiving support. It's even more profound when siblings can do this, which is not always easy. But it was very clear from the start that Ella and Tessa have immense respect and compassion for each other. You can't see it in this audio-only interview, but they kept reaching for each other throughout the conversation, helping each other to articulate feelings and wade through their memories of January 7 and 8th. It was a great honor to interview them and to devote this mini-season to the 2025 Eaton Fire, which affected so many Altadena and Pasadena residents.
Stay tuned for the next season! The theme and timing of which is yet to be determined.
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Special thanks to Josephine Wiggs for the song "Time Does Not Bring Relief" from her album "We Fall."
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