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Published on January 13, 2025
Oklahoma Native's Indomitable Spirit Amidst Loss of Home and Church in Pacific Palisades WildfireSource: GoFundMe

An Oklahoma native, Ross Chitwood, has suffered immense personal loss due to the Pacific Palisades fire in California, losing both his home and his place of worship. Chitwood, who hailed from Sulphur, Oklahoma, became a resident of California in 2013 and dedicated his time as Director of Worship at Community Church United Methodist in Pacific Palisades. The wildfire, which ravaged the area last week, has left nothing but ashes where his home and church once stood. "It was the most beautiful, quaint, idyllic place," Chitwood's brother, Bryce, reflected with heavy lamentation to News on 6, providing a stark contrast to the destruction that has befallen his brother's life.

Despite this hardship, Ross Chitwood remains optimistic about the future, drawing strength from the close-knit community akin to that he once knew back in his home state. "This is the closest community I've ever been a part of, and that's how I know it's going to come back together," he told News on 6. His resilience echoes the family's experience with previous devastations, as Bryce Chitwood, serving in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, reminded us of their family business and church in Sulphur being destroyed by an EF-3 tornado in early 2024, after returning from a deployment.

The fire, which came swiftly and with little warning, caught many by surprise, including Chitwood. "That's when I knew that we weren't gonna be back for a while," he recalled the morning he saw smoke billowing from the Santa Monica Mountains to FOX 25 in a statement that highlighted the rapid progression of the flames. His previous encounters with natural disasters in his native Oklahoma had not fully prepared him for the ferocity of the California wildfires.

To aid in the Chitwood family's recovery, a GoFundMe campaign has been established. The Chitwoods are seeking assistance following the fire that has upended Ross and his husband Zach's lives. The community's support has been the cornerstone of their resilience, with previous ordeals hardening them for the adversities they face. "But we know we have our faith and our friends and family to rally around us," Bryce Chitwood said, finding a silver lining, as shared with News on 6.

Despite the misfortune he has faced, Ross's spirit remains unbroken, his optimism palpable. "And we know what that's like in Oklahoma," he told KJRH, signifying his belief in the power of the community to rebuild and restore what was lost.