Cameron Mathison breaks down over losing his home and 'everything' he owns in LA wildfires
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Cameron Mathison, known for his role as Ryan Lavery on 'All My Children', has shared the harrowing story of losing his family home to the Eaton Fire, one of the devastating wildfires sweeping Los Angeles.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight and Good Morning America on January 9, Mathison opened up about the emotional and physical toll of the disaster, as well as the priceless memories reduced to ash.
A narrow escape for Cameron Mathison during LA wildfire
Cameron Mathison, 55, recounted the moment his ex-wife, Vanessa Arevalo, called with urgent news—they needed to evacuate immediately.
The pair relocated to an apartment they owned in nearby Pasadena. By the next morning, devastating news reached them: their home had been lost.
Despite the urgency, he admitted he underestimated the severity of the situation.
“I didn’t really believe we would lose everything,” Mathison confessed. “I unfortunately left some valuable ones where the kids were very, very young and film that you can't replace. If I really thought the house was going down, I would've grabbed so much more."
“[Vanessa] woke me up at 5 in the morning, because she'd been up pretty much all night and watched the news and heard that the street above our street.... the reporters were literally on our block on TV,” he said.
“We're sitting on the couch, watching the news, recognizing the houses around our house burned down, but I couldn't see our house.”
Cameron Mathison describes seeing 'a war zone'
Overwhelmed by the unknown, Cameron Mathison ventured back to his neighborhood equipped with a mask and protective glasses. What he found left him reeling.
“I just was sitting there, it was probably 6 in the morning, and I had to go up there, it looked like a war zone,” he described.
Despite holding on to a sliver of hope, the grim reality soon hit. “It was all gone. It was really, really decimated. There's nothing there. Less than nothing. It's just all burnt to just ashes."
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The emotional weight of the loss was palpable. "I’ve been up all night. I can’t sleep. I’ve lost my home and everything that I own,” Mathison said tearfully on Good Morning America.
“I have this hoodie and a pair of pants and two pairs of sneakers left. That’s it. Every few minutes we're thinking about things that were in there that are irreplaceable, but there are a lot of things that are replaceable,” he said.
Mathison gets teary-eyed talking about losing his 'beautiful home'
The house was more than just a structure—it was a deeply personal project and the foundation of countless family memories.
"We spent over a decade doing every detail of that house,” Cameron Mathison told Entertainment Tonight, his voice heavy with emotion.
“It was something that the kids loved; it was where the kids wanted to raise their kids. I keep coming back to that we’re all safe. It’s so devastating and when you’re in shock like this, it’s kinda hard to think clearly, to be honest.”
The actor also shared his heartbreak on Instagram, posting a video of the charred remains of what was once their dream home.
“We are safe. But this is what’s left of our beautiful home,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
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He added, “Our home where our kids were raised and where they wanted to raise their own someday. Thanks to all who reached out and checked in. Can’t respond to all so wanted to give an update here. Sending so many prayers to everyone being affected by these fires🙏🏼."
As Mathison processes the enormity of the loss, he remains grateful for what truly matters: his family’s safety.
The Mathisons are among the 80,000 displaced residents grappling with the aftermath of the five wildfires wreaking havoc in Los Angeles.
Other celebrities, including Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake, Cary Elwes, and Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, have also lost their homes.
