Darlene Hamilton, a longtime resident of Los Angeles. On January 7, 2025, she faced an unimaginable loss as a fire led to the total loss of her home in Altadena. The flames didn’t just reduce her house to ashes; they sent her favorite kitties—Merlyn and Kiki—into the flames, too. For Hamilton, the loss was intensified by the grief of her mother’s passing around the same time. As a committed professional graphic designer, art director, and English country dancing instructor, she swore a sacred oath. For a whole year and a day, she would wander in quest of her darling cats.
Hamilton, who grew up in Los Angeles, moved to Altadena with her husband in 2012 after living in south L.A. for nearly 40 years. Their house, located on the side of a hill with a large front and backyard, was an oasis that many of her animals enjoyed. As a fun fact, Hamilton’s husband works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He proudly maintains their prize-winning rose garden, creating a beautiful landscape for the whole family. Merlyn, a 17-pound Maine Coon, and Kiki, a petite shy Calico, had been part of their lives for twelve years.
The Devastating Fire
On that fateful day in January, the fire caught them by surprise and spread through their home. Hamilton described the traumatic ordeal of rescuing her cats in the middle of the mayhem.
“I had Merlyn in the cage, and if I just grabbed him and carried that cage out to the car,” – Darlene Hamilton
Despite her efforts, both cats went missing. Hamilton described the emotional burden as crushing. She was devastated to have lost both her physical home and the presence of her beloved furry housemates.
A Promise Made
In the immediate days following the fire, Hamilton made a promise to both Merlyn and Kiki. She vowed to hunt them down doggedly for an entire twelve months. She recognized the trauma these kids could be coming from and she felt a heavy moral obligation to locate them.
I mean, one of the issues contributed to, which is just like the poor kitties, they experienced that traumatic event. And if they escaped, then they come back and they go, ‘where’s my house? Where are my people? – Darlene Hamilton
Each day turned into an adventure laced with inspiration and ambition. Hamilton searched local shelters, hung up flyers, and even became a part of community groups for lost animals. Her dedication was unwavering.
“I was out there every single day” – Darlene Hamilton
Life After Loss
Over the months, as Hamilton moved into a new home, the cats grew more distant in her memory. She never abandoned hope. The emotional journey was fraught with challenges. She always pictured herself hoping about the beautiful, exotic, exciting life that they carved out together.
“There’s a lot of times I come to my new house and I think, ‘oh, they would have liked it so much. I wish they could have been here’” – Darlene Hamilton
We admire Hamilton for not flinching despite the depths of the unknown. She told us she hopes to be reunited with her own pets one day. Instead, she would like to be informed that they are alive and growing in some other location.
“At this point even if somebody said, ‘well, he’s a beloved family member now,’ I’d rather know he’s alive and let him live his happy life,” – Darlene Hamilton