Home / Disasters and Accidents / Woman Rebuilds Life After Fire, Death, and Cyber Theft
Woman Rebuilds Life After Fire, Death, and Cyber Theft
18 Feb
Summary
- Home severely damaged by Palisades Fire, then husband died of cancer.
- Scammers stole $38,000 meant for home repairs via fake PayPal email.
- Community raised over $29,000 via GoFundMe to aid her recovery.
Ellen Rudolph's resilience is being tested after a series of devastating events. Her family home in the Pacific Palisades was severely damaged by the Palisades Fire last year. Shortly after, she endured the profound loss of her husband, Steve, who died from Stage 4 lung cancer in October.
While grappling with grief and beginning the arduous process of rebuilding, Rudolph fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam. In January, hackers posing as PayPal support stole $38,000 she had saved for home repairs. This theft represented a significant financial blow on top of her personal tragedies.
Facing overwhelming odds, Rudolph found solace and support from her community. Chayim Frankel, a leader at Kehillat Israel Synagogue, immediately organized efforts to help her. The synagogue provided an initial $10,000, and a GoFundMe titled "Rebuilding Ellen's Life After Tragedy" was launched.
The community's response has been extraordinary. As of February 4, the fundraiser had garnered over $29,000 toward its $35,000 goal, demonstrating a powerful collective will to help Rudolph recover. She plans to return to her home in the Palisades in April, fulfilling a wish she shared with her late husband.
