An Australian former child star tragically passed away when the Los Angeles wildfires tore through his family’s Malibu estate earlier this week, as revealed by his mother.
Rory Callum Sykes was at the family’s 17-acre Mount Malibu TV Studios property, where he had his own cottage, when the fire struck on January 8. His mother, Shelley Sykes, shared the devastating news on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday.
Shelley described her son, known for his role in the 1998 British TV show Kiddy Kapers, as “beautiful” and “wonderful,” expressing that she was “totally heartbroken” by his untimely death.
She recounted her desperate attempts to save him, saying she tried to douse the embers on their roof using a hose, but the water pressure failed. “He said, ‘Mom, leave me,’ and no mother can leave their child. I couldn’t move him—I have a broken arm,” Shelley told Australia’s 10 News First.
Rory, who was 32, was born blind and with cerebral palsy on July 29, 1992. Despite his challenges, he became an inspirational speaker, known for advocating overcoming disability. He co-founded Happy Charity, an organization dedicated to bringing “Hope, Happiness & Health to those that are Hurting.”
Shelley shared on X how her son overcame numerous surgeries and therapies, including regaining his sight and learning to walk. Despite his struggles, he traveled the world with her, from Africa to Antarctica.
She added that Rory was born in Britain but spent much of his life in Australia and the U.S. “He was a gift born on mine and his grandma’s birthday,” she wrote.
Rory’s website highlights his work as a professional speaker and consultant, partnering with organizations like the Tony Robbins Foundation and the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. In a 2003 appearance on the Australian show Mornings with Kerri-Anne, he shared his experience speaking at a Tony Robbins motivational conference in the U.S., advising viewers, “It doesn’t matter what happens to you in life, it’s what you do about it that counts.”
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed it is aware of the death and is working closely with local authorities to support Rory’s family. “The Department is providing consular assistance to his family. Our thoughts are with them,” a spokesperson said.
