LOS ANGELES (CNN) – A 93-year-old widower who lost the dream home he shared with his wife to the Los Angeles-area wildfires hopes to rebuild.
The day after Eric Back turned 93 years old, he had to evacuate his Pacific Palisades house as fire approached. He later learned his home had been destroyed.
“It’s just a shock. It’s hard,” Back said. “My wife and I loved the house. We just loved it.”
The destruction of the house is devastating enough, but like many fire victims, Back had to leave so much behind, including physical memories of his wife of 67 years, Rose. She died two and a half years ago at the age of 90.
The couple met in their homeland of Germany when they were 17 years old. They both moved to the United States in the 1950s and got married, moving into their dream house almost exactly 60 years ago.
Back says the first time they met, they danced.
“We kept dancing. We kept dancing until we were 90 years old. Every Saturday night, we went dancing, ballroom dancing. We enjoyed it,” he said.
The couple had two children. Now, there are four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, but there is a void in the family without Rose – and the fire took even more, including photo albums with her picture in them.
Back says he goes to the cemetery every Sunday to talk to his wife, and he even did so this past Sunday after the fire.
“I said, ‘I’m sorry, but there is nothing I could do. I lost it, and you’re already gone. I’m happy you didn’t have to see what actually happened,’” he said.
Despite the loss of so much, Rose will forever remain alive in her husband’s heart.
Back says he would like to rebuild his home but doesn’t know if he’s too old to do so. He hasn’t yet been permitted to go back to the area.
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