The fires in Southern California are beyond devastating.
Multiple fires, totaling over 40,000 acres or 52 square miles, are burning in the Los Angeles area.
The two biggest fires are the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Several smaller fires have popped up throughout the week, but firefighters have been able to get those under control pretty quickly.
The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire are different beasts. Due to the heavy winds last week and the projected high winds this week, the end seems to be nowhere in sight. As of press time, the fires have taken 24 lives.
The Palisades Fire is burning across 23,713 acres with a 13% containment, while the Eaton Fire is over 14,000 acres and is 27% contained.
According to CBS News, “Local fire authorities have said more than 10,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed between the two blazes.”
One Altadena family returned home to find their home of 37 years was completely destroyed – except for one thing.
Jackie and Peter Halpin raised their six children in their Altadena home. It was the place their big family, which now includes 14 grandchildren, gathered for any event you can think of.
Their daughter, Gianna, and her daughter, Beatrice, lived in the guest house on the property.
But after the Eaton Fire, their home of nearly 40 years was gone.
A religious bunch, the Halpins had statues of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, both remained standing after the fire destroyed their home.
When the Halpins returned home to see the destruction, they couldn’t believe the statues survived.
Seeing the Virgin Mary statue gave the family a sense of hope, and they led their neighbors in prayer.
View this post on Instagram
Not only did they pray, but they all sang a hymn that was close to their heart. Their video touched so many hearts that legendary singer and actress Bette Midler shared it to her Instagram page.
View this post on Instagram
Patriarch Peter Halpin told Fox & Friends, “It was remarkable how everything had gotten fried, but the statue of The Virgin Mary and another statue of Saint Joseph were in perfect condition.”
Peter continued, “Obviously, they were a little singed, but we just took that opportunity to pray. Our home is dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus and always has been and all my family members, my extended family, so we said a prayer to the sacred heart of Jesus, and then we sang that special song that our entire family has known for decades to The Blessed Virgin, and it was a remarkable thing.”
The Halpins’ son set up a GoFundMe to help his parents and his sister and niece after their home was destroyed. If you’d like to help the Halpins, you can donate to their GoFundMe here. As of press time, they have raised $126,089.
Even though they lost everything, the Halpin family thanks God for their safety and asked Him for further protection, which is what inspired the hymn. Watch them talk about the powerful and viral moment below.