Man and his old dog are home at last after fleeing LA area fires

Ted Koerner and his golden retriever Daisy Mae have returned to their rebuilt Altadena home after fleeing the 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires that destroyed his previous house.

Ted Koerner has returned to his rebuilt Altadena home with his golden retriever, Daisy Mae, after fleeing the 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires that destroyed his previous house. He left as flames reached the end of his street and spent the first weeks after the fires in a hotel with hundreds of other evacuees. Koerner worked to rebuild over nearly a year, advancing funds to contractors while waiting for an insurance payout from his mortgage servicer. The yard is shaded by a 175-year-old Heritage Oak that survived the fire. Known details: - Koerner fled with Daisy Mae and a few personal items, including some clothing, a pillow and two photos of the dog. - He and Daisy Mae stayed in a hotel with hundreds of others after fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 31 people. - He liquidated most of his retirement holdings to pay builders quickly while awaiting release of his insurance payout from the mortgage servicing company. - Construction of his new house took just over four months, and his home was among the first in the area to be rebuilt. - When first brought to the framed house during construction, Daisy Mae entered the space, went to the master bedroom opening and appeared content. - Koerner described returning to the finished house as emotional and said he cried when he went inside. Summary: Koerner's return marks a personal recovery after the 2025 wildfires and the completion of a rapid rebuild funded in part by his retirement savings while he waited for insurance. Undetermined at this time.