As the death toll in the Los Angeles fires has climbed to 13, actress Jennifer Garner revealed on Friday that she lost a friend to the devastating blaze in the Palisades.
The actress teamed up with Chef Jose Andres’s World Central Kitchen this week to aid in relief efforts for those displaced by the fires, handing out food and water to evacuees. So far, Garner’s own home has been safe from the flames, unlike many other celebrities.
But, speaking to press on Friday, Garner revealed that she had lost a friend, and was looking at the ruins of their home, and that was part of what prompted her to get on the ground to help.
“It’s too awful to talk about,” she said. “It’s just kind of unimaginable, and so I just, I reached out to Chef.”
Speaking later to MSNBC, Garner confirmed that the friend she lost simply “did not get out in time” and continued to struggle to talk about it.
“I did lose a friend, and for our church it’s really tender, so I don’t feel like I should talk about her yet,” she said.
When asked for her reaction to just seeing the damage up close on the ground, the actress noted that many of her loved ones were impacted heavily by the fires.
“My heart bleeds for my friends. I mean, I can think of a hundred families, and there are 5,000 homes lost. Without even — I could just write out a list of 100 friends who lost their homes. It’s just like, I feel almost guilty walking through my house.”
“Just, you know, what can I do? How can I help? What can I offer? What do I have to offer with these hands and these walls, and the safety that I have?”
For the latest information on the Los Angeles fires, you can click here.
