Man Saves 83-Year-Old Father-in-Law with Parkinson's from the LA Fires in Pacific Palisades
While staying with and caring for his father-in-law, who has Parkinson’s Disease and lives in the Los Angeles Pacific Palisades community, Aaron Samson received an alert on his phone. It was January 7th, and the message advised residents that the area had a wildfire. Unsure of how to proceed, Aaron considered what he should do. He told CBS Mornings, “We got another ping through the phone, and at that point, I went outside and saw smoke and fire near my father-in-law’s house and realized we needed to go.”
Aaron Called 911 and Utilized Uber to Evacuate
Since neither Aaron nor his father-in-law had a car, Aaron called 911 and utilized Uber in an effort to evacuate. Ultimately, they got a ride from a kind neighbor. Aaron collected his father-in-law’s medications, and the three started out of the area. The Associated Press said they were stuck in traffic for over three hours.
Aaron shared with CBS Mornings, “As we’re driving down, there are fires on both sides of the car, you can feel the heat. And the fires were getting closer and closer. We were completely stuck in traffic and the fire jumped about 15 feet from the car on the right. The policemen started running up the street, ‘Get out of the car, get out the car!’”
After helping his father-in-law from the car, Aaron led the older man down a hill and away from danger. However, Aaron heard his father-in-law say something unimaginable as they headed away from the flames. Aaron recalled, “My father-in-law was saying, ‘Aaron, if we are ever in a position where the flames are right there, you just run and leave me here.’”
He Knew That He Was Going to Save His Father-in-Law No Matter What
Aaron never considered that. Instead, he encouraged his wife’s “wobbly” father as he respectfully and politely directed him to safety, saying, “you got it, Dad” and “we got this.” At one point, Aaron turned his father-in-law around, sat him on his walker, and wheeled him out himself. After walking for 15 minutes, another driver offered Aaron and his senior companion a ride. Of his father-in-law, Aaron told CBS Mornings, “This was a heroic effort on his part.”
When asked how the Palisades fire compared to past wildfires that he’d experienced, Aaron said, “This is huge … this will have ramifications in so many different ways. I can’t put it into words how big it is and how much it has affected my family and me personally.”
The Two Are Now Safe and Doing Okay
When CBS Mornings reached out on January 9th, Aaron said that he and his father-in-law were doing okay. He’s in Berkeley, and his beloved father-in-law is in San Diego with relatives. He added, “We’re alive, so that’s the most important thing.”
“So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.” Exodus 18:7
WATCH: Man Saves 83-Year-Old Father-in-Law with Parkinson's from the LA Fires in Pacific Palisades
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Photo Credit: ©Facebook/People
Originally published February 12, 2025.
