Dalyce Curry, beloved Blues Brothers actress, 95, became one of the victims claimed by the devastating Eaton Fire that swept through Los Angeles last week, per standard.co.uk. Her last words—a loving exchange with her granddaughter—paint a poignant picture of a life cut tragically short by California’s increasingly dangerous wildfire season.
“She gave me a big wet kiss and she said ‘I love you,'” recalled Curry’s granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, who had just helped her grandmother settle in after a hospital visit for CT scans on that fateful Wednesday night. These would be their final moments together, mere hours before the wildfire engulfed Curry’s Altadena cottage.
The fire, which appeared distant and harmless at midnight when Kelley left her grandmother’s home, was part of a series of blazes that would ultimately consume over 40,000 acres of Los Angeles County. Emergency evacuation notices were sent out at 3:30 am, but Curry, affectionately known as “Momma D,” didn’t own a cell phone—a circumstance that would prove fatal.
In a cruel twist of fate, the very CT scan that Curry underwent hours before the fire would later help identify her remains. “In her 95 years of life, Momma D never had a CT scan but the day before the fires,” Kelley shared through tears. “Ironically, that’s the only thing we have left to help identify her remains.”
The tragedy has sparked discussions about emergency alert systems for elderly residents. Kelley is now advocating for better warning systems, particularly for seniors who may not use modern technology.
“The city needs to figure out a better way to warn residents of wildfires,” she stated, highlighting a critical gap in disaster response protocols.
As Hollywood mourns one of its classic stars, Curry’s death serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of elderly residents in natural disasters, prompting calls for more inclusive emergency response systems in an increasingly digital age.
•Featured image: Facebook
