Neighbors Broke Gate to Save Grandma, 77, Who Lost ‘Dream’ Home in L.A. Fire While Recovering from Breast Cancer

Mar. 15, 2025

Inside Dina Ament’s home after it burned down in the Eaton Fire.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

A woman who is recovering from breast cancer says she lost her beloved home in theLos Angeles fires.

Dina Ament, 77, of Altadena, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer five years to the day the Eaton Fire started, according toToday.

Ament, a retired paralegal, has neuropathy that causes pain up to her knees and regularly uses a walker to move around. Before undergoing chemotherapy, she says she walked two miles a day and swam regularly.

“It’s really frustrating to me that all the things I used to be able to do, I can no longer do,” she told the outlet.

“You develop a superhuman strength at some point because you have to survive it somehow,” the grandmother added. “So, you do what you have to do and you think about the pain later.”

The next obstacle Ament faced was the gate to her driveway, which would not open with the power out in her neighborhood.

Dina Ament’s home before it burned down in the Eaton Fire.GoFundMe

Ament was able to race back into her home and grab some essentials but had to climb and descend the steps in front of her home again. She also had to lift her dog Sadie, who is about 65 lbs., into her vehicle without assistance.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Eventually, Ament was able to escape her home before it burned to the ground. Her daughter Andrea has started aGoFundMe campaignto support her mom as she rebuilds.

“For my mom, this house was more than just a place to live. It was a symbol of her resilience,” Andrea wrote in the description of the online fundraiser. “It was a space where she recovered, found comfort, and dreamed of better days ahead.”

A close-up of Dina Ament’s home after the Eaton Fire.GoFundMe

She added, “To lose that on top of everything else feels like the world has come crashing down again. We are now trying to help my mom with not just a home, but a sense of security for her.”

Ament spent 12 years living in her “dream” home, according toToday. She has homeowners insurance but does not know if she will be able to afford to rebuild.

In the meantime, she hopes her story brings awareness to how disasters like the L.A. fires impact those with disabilities.

“It’s a lot of things that are very stressful,” the grandmother said. “And people who have disabilities, they have twice the amount of stress.”

More than $5,200 has been raised through GoFundMe to support Ament.

Click hereto learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires.

source: people.com