PITTSBURGH — A retired Pittsburgh police officer is among the thousands of people devastated by the recent wildfires in Pacific Palisades, California, WTAE reported.
Jeff Garris, who served over 30 years with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and received the Courage Under Hostile Fire Award for his actions during the 2018 Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting, had recently relocated with his family for a fresh start, according to the report.
Garris, his wife Debbie and their 16-year-old son Tristan moved to Pacific Palisades just two months ago to be closer to their older son Markus, according to the report. They were staying at his sister-in-law’s mobile home as they settled into their new surroundings.
The family had enjoyed a warm Christmas in California but faced a sudden and devastating change when the wildfires swept through the Los Angeles area. Before evacuating, Garris helped a 99-year-old neighbor to safety, recounting the surreal moment when ash rained down like snowflakes.
“When we wheeled the neighbor down, we were starting to get ashes…like snowflakes. So it was kind of an eerie feeling,” Garris told WTAE. “You kind of knew it was close and that we were leaving. But I didn’t know that we were leaving and going to be coming home to, like, total devastation.”
When Garris returned to the site, the mobile home was reduced to ash, according to the report.
“I tried to find something in the ash of value to pick up and say, ‘hey, this was,’ there’s nothing,” Garris said. “I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime as far as my 30-plus years with the city. It’s difficult to put into words what it feels like to be on the other side and to really just have it all taken away in a heartbeat.”
As the Garris family begins to rebuild, the communities of Pacific Palisades and Pittsburgh are rallying to support them. A GoFundMe page has been created to assist the family during this challenging time.
