Melissa Rivers after appearing on “Good Day New York” on Sept. 9, 2024 in New York City.Photo:Michael Simon/Getty
Michael Simon/Getty
It’s only been a week sinceMelissa Riverslost everything she owned in thePalisades Fire, and while she’s still in shock, she says she’s also no stranger when it comes to living through trauma.
“I’ve only had two little cries so far,” Melissa, 56, tells PEOPLE of the horrifying experience. “One for five minutes, and the other for about 20.”
“I know that I have to just keep putting one foot in front of the other,” she adds. “There’ll be time to really cry later.”
Melissa Rivers with her dad Edgar Rosenberg before his death in 1987.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Melissa first shared the news of the loss of her home to the wildfires in an Instagramposton Jan. 8.
Looking back on that devastating day, Melissa tells PEOPLE she was at home filming a bit for QVC when an assistant andher son Cooperboth told her about the fires at the same time. She says she called her fiancé Steve Mitchell to come home, and they began grabbing supplies for her dogs and cat and important papers.
“It’s crazy to look down and realize that everything you own in life has been stuffed into three LL Bean Tote bags,” she says. “It’s all just so surreal. I think I’m still in shock.”
Melissa previously revealed to CNN that she managed tograb her mother’s Emmyand a photo of her father before evacuating, but that was about it.
“We got everything we could and left,” she tells PEOPLE. “In hindsight, you want to say we probably could have had more time to get stuff together, but in the moment we did exactly what we’re supposed to do, which was just go. Because when they say go, you go. Do not stay and be hopeful with your garden hose spraying on the front lawn or on your roof. You’re just getting in the way of emergency services that need to go there, and could end up being part of the problem.”
The television personality, who has been staying at a friend’s house (after having to also evacuate the first two places she sought refuge in), says she’s feeling sorrowful she didn’t take a few more sentimental items.
“My mom’s favorite sweater. I had her bathrobe and my dad’s bathrobe,” she explains. “Everybody is like, ‘What about her wardrobe?’ But I’m like, I lost the only three things of theirs that I kept in my house because they reminded me so much of them.”
Melissa Rivers and Joan Rivers attend the 2014 NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfronts at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on May 15, 2014 in New York City.Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
Melissa, who is supposed to be marrying Mitchell in a few months, now has no idea what her next move will be. “I have no clue about anything right now,” she says.
“My only concern right now is getting settled into a new place and out of our friend’s hair, getting the animals back together,” she continues. “And I’m finding that for me, checking on other people and comforting some other people is helping me. Maybe I’m just trying to not deal with reality, but it’s still helping me.”
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As for where she finds her strength, Melissa says she learned it from her late parents.
“I am my parent’s daughter,” she says. “Our family motto was from Winston Churchill: ‘If you’re going through hell, keep going.’ There’ll be time to wallow later. Right now is not the time that I am capable of feeling sorry for myself. I know it is going to hit me at some point, but right now I don’t have time to let it hit me.”
She adds, “And thank God I have a dark sense of humor because I’m keeping everyone around me laughing, including myself. That’s my superpower.”
Click hereto learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires.
source: people.com
