Melissa Rivers Grabbed Mom Joan's Emmy, Father's Photo Before Home Was Destroyed in Palisades Fire

01/09/2025 01:46 PM

The late comedian's only child said that losing her L.A. home marks "the end of everything that belonged to my family and the history of it"

Melissa Rivers is mourning the loss of her family's history after her home burned down in the L.A. wildfires.

On Wednesday, Jan. 8, Melissa, 56, spoke to CNN as she gave an update on her family, who is safe, and shared what she was able to save before her home was lost — and everything that she wasn't able to take.

"In my personal situation, that's it. That is the end of everything that belonged to my family and the history of it," she said, referring to her late mother Joan Rivers, who died in 2014, and father Edgar Rosenberg, who died in 1987.

"To be 100% honest, I grabbed my mom's Emmy, a photo of my Dad and a drawing that my mother had done of...my son and I," she said. "And dog food, cat food and that was it."

Related: Celebrities Who Have Lost Homes or Had to Evacuate in the Los Angeles Fires, and What They've Said

"It's amazing what you grab, it's amazing what you take," Melissa continued, recalling her final moments in her home. "I went for a drawing of my mother's rather than a photo, because I know I can find the photos... [the drawing] I can't replace."

She added, "My heart is so broken, not just for myself, but for [everybody] going through this."

As a lifelong resident of L.A., she also had a "mental checklist" of what to grab and she "made sure that we got passports, that we got birth certificates, medication, clothing" out, too.

"I just was out shopping for clothes, it started to hit me that ... we literally just have what's on our backs."

Related: Mandy Moore Shares Heartbreaking Footage of Her 'Sweet Home' Destroyed by L.A. Fire: 'Absolutely Numb'

Melissa first shared the news of the loss of her home to the wildfires in an Instagram post on Jan. 8.

"My family and I have safely evacuated and we are deeply grateful to be unharmed. I am heartbroken by the devastation caused by the fires, which have tragically destroyed my home 💔 ," she wrote.

"I want to express my profound gratitude to the courageous firefighters and first responders who are tirelessly risking their lives to protect our communities and save lives."

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

Melissa is far from the only star who has spoken about the devastation they're experiencing as they watch their homes burn. Paris Hiltonposted a photo of where her Malibu home used to be on Jan. 8 as she wrote, "Heartbroken beyond words.💔 Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience."

Hilton, 43, said that the home was where she and her husband Carter Reum "built so many precious memories," including with their two children. "It's where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London."

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