A Southern California family is devastated after an arsonist set their home on fire, killing their beloved cat and destroying everything they own.
On July 31, at around noontime, the Majano family was away from their Pasadena home.
Mitzi Majano and her two children — a 13-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter — were enjoying a summer day at a local water park.
Her husband, Nassan Majano, was serving drinks from a coffee truck he operates, parked just down the street from their home.
That’s when a neighbor suddenly ran up to Nassan telling him his house was on fire.
The frightened family rushed back to their home to a heartbreaking discovery — nearly everything they owned had been burned to the ground.
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Everything the Majano family owned was lost to the fire on July 31, 2024. (KTLA) -
The Majano family, with the help of friends, family and neighbors, are salvaging whatever they can from their torched home. (GoFundMe) -
The Majano Family is seen in a personal photo. -
The family’s beloved cat, Oreo, died in the fire on July 31, 2024. (Majano Family) -
Everything the Majano family owned was lost to the fire on July 31, 2024. (KTLA) -
The Majano family, with the help of friends, family and neighbors, are salvaging whatever they can from their torched home. (KTLA) -
Everything the Majano family owned was lost to the fire on July 31, 2024. (KTLA) -
The Majano Family’s coffee truck. (KTLA) -
The Majano Family is seen in a personal photo. -
An arsonist set a Pasadena home on fire on July 31, 2024. (Majano Family)
Although the family was uninjured, their beloved cat, Oreo, was trapped in the blaze and did not survive. Oreo was adopted during the pandemic to provide comfort to the family.
“We actually tried to save her,” Nassan said. “We knocked down the door and tried to break into the house but it was impossible to get inside. The flames were way too high. The heat was intense.”
“We have maybe 5% of what we own,” Mitzi said tearfully. “I’d rather have zero [belongings] and have my cat back. He helped my kids during the pandemic so much. So after this, it’s even harder.”
For now, the family is going through the rubble and salvaging whatever they can as neighbors and loved ones help the family rebuild their lives.
The suspect who torched the home was later arrested and identified as a homeless man. Police said the incident appeared to be random.
“He actually claimed, immediately, that he did it,” Nassan said of the arsonist.
The parents said their children are having a hard time coping with the shocking events. They said they are leaning on their faith to help them endure this difficult period.
“Everything in the kitchen was burned, but my son had left his backpack with his Bible on the table and it didn’t catch on fire at all,” Mitzi said.
Officials from the American Red Cross and a local food bank are helping the Majano family who remain displaced for now.
A GoFundMe page to help the family recover can be found here.