Home / Disasters and Accidents / Hope Burns Bright: Woman Searches Year for Lost Cats
Hope Burns Bright: Woman Searches Year for Lost Cats
11 Jan
Summary
- A woman continues searching for her two cats lost in an Altadena fire.
- She committed to searching for her cats for a year and a day.
- Despite no physical evidence, hope remains for the missing feline companions.
Darlene Hamilton's search for her two cats, Merlyn and Kiki, has spanned a full year following a devastating fire that consumed her Altadena home in January 2025. She wakes daily at 4:30 a.m. to scour lost animal websites and shelters, a ritual born from an unwavering hope that her beloved companions survived.
The fire, fueled by a powerful windstorm, destroyed Hamilton's home and possessions, but the loss of her cats for 12 years weighed most heavily. Despite fleeing the blaze and leaving escape routes open, she was unable to locate Merlyn and Kiki. The community offered support, with many sharing stories of pets found months later.
Having recently marked the one-year anniversary, Hamilton is preparing to step back from her intensive search, though she acknowledges she will likely always keep an eye out. The passage of time has softened the pain, but the memory of her cats and the hope for their well-being endures.
