As numerous horrific wildfires ravage the Los Angeles area, tearing through neighborhoods around the city as firefighters struggle to contain them, actor James Woods, known largely for his conservative political beliefs, appeared on CNN to discuss the fires and broke down when noting that his own home had been destroyed by them.
Such occurred on Wednesday, January 8, when Woods went on CNN’s “News Central” with host Pamala Brown, and commented on how his 8-year-old niece had went and retrieved her piggy bank to help out after finding out that his Pacific Palisades home had been wiped away by the hugely destructive Southern California fires.
Beginning, Woods commented on what the Pacific Palisades neighborhood was like before the Southern California fires ripped through and destroyed it, saying that it was a “paradise” where he was able to know his neighbors. He said, commenting on that, “It was paradise. And our neighbors were, you know, we knew them all.”
Continuing, the show’s host, Pamala Brown, told him that the fires serve as a reminder that all it takes is the blink of an eye, a mere instant, for everything to be wiped away by forces outside of our control. She said, making that point, “You know now it’s all yeah it’s a reminder anything can be just taken away in an instant.”
Woods, responding, told her the heartbreaking story of his niece and how she brought out her piggy bank to help him rebuild his house, a moment that was as heartwarming as it was sad. He said, “But Sarah was on with her eight-year-old niece last night, and she came out. I’m sorry. Just, you know, one day, you’re swimming in the pool, and the next day, it’s all gone. But she came out with her little Yeti piggy bank for us to rebuild our house.”
Brown, responding to the story, told him, “Oh my gosh, James Woods, we all hope that you will be able to rebuild your house, maybe starting with that little Yeti piggy bank. We’re just glad that you’re okay and your wife is okay. I’m sorry for your loss.” Woods, breaking down, told her, “I thought I was stronger than this.”
Responding, Brown told him that it was ok, and that strength isn’t measured in terms of whether he could keep his crying in or not, but rather in another metric in which he is shining through very well. She began,“Yeah. No, I mean, this is real, and it’s raw. Strength is not measured by whether, you know, you hold in crying or not.”
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She added, commenting on what was his real strength in the face of this utterly horrific destruction and the moment with his niece, saying, “Strength is what you are doing now and, helping your neighbors and shining a light on the great, amazing work of all those firefighters and emergency crews out there. You have so much strength, and we appreciate you coming on to reflect what so many others, just like you, are experiencing.”
Watch them here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video