Former Child Actor Rory Callum Sykes Dies in Los Angeles Wildfires

Rory Callum Sykes, a former child actor best known for his role in the 1990s UK show Kiddy Kapers, tragically lost his life in the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. He was 32 years old.

Sykes, who was born blind and had cerebral palsy, died at his family’s Malibu estate on Wednesday. His mother, Shelley Sykes, shared the heartbreaking news in an emotional social media post, revealing that his cottage on their 17-acre Mount Malibu TV Studio property was destroyed in the blaze.

Shelley recounted her desperate attempts to save her son, saying she tried to extinguish the flames on his roof with a hose but found the water supply had been cut off. “He said, ‘Mum, leave me,’ and no mum could leave their kid,” Shelley told Australia’s 10 News. “I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him. When the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burnt to the ground.”

As of Saturday morning, the wildfires have claimed 11 lives, with evacuation orders issued for over 100,000 residents. The fires continue to spread, threatening communities in Brentwood, Encino, and the Palisades.