Homes Of Local Civil Rights Activist’s Family Lost In Eaton Fire

By Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff WriterA local community activist and his family are desperately trying to escape the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles. The fire has already claimed two family homes and the remains of his mother.Just weeks before the fires, Rory Kaufman had been discharged from the hospital, battling his own health issues that required regular dialysis three times a week. Despite these challenges, he sought comfort and togetherness by traveling to Los Angeles to spend the holidays with his family.But what should have been a time of solace turned into a cascade of heartbreak. The day after Christmas, Rory’s beloved mother passed away, a devastating loss that left him grappling with profound grief.“We didn’t know if Rory was gonna make it,” Jamilia Land, a friend of the family, told The OBSERVER. “When he got out of the hospital he went into rehab only for a couple of days because he wanted to go be with his mother and his sister for the holiday. He made it, and they had Christmas together. And the day after Christmas, his mother died.”Kaufman is a dedicated community activist and leader from Sacramento and serves as the political action chair for...