An ABC News reporter’s dream home was destroyed by one of the Los Angeles wildfires just one day after she moved in.
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In a post on Instagram, Los Angeles correspondent Zohreen Shah opened up about the loss of her home and possessions.
“I lost my home in the fires,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “It’s a total loss.”
The ABC News reporter also shared before and after photos of her “dream home.”
“We started moving in last week. Over and over, I told [my husband] Rishi I couldn’t believe this sanctuary was ours,” she revealed. “We spent one night there. Just one. It was perfect. It was magical. We dreamed of retiring in that same home.”
Despite being five minutes from the Pacific Coast Highway, Shah stated the property felt like it was “another planet.”
“Deer walked up to the home, the birds sounded like a tropical island, and the ocean view was the California dream,” she wrote. “We had peach, nectarine, lemon, and avocado trees—and a small enclosure for lettuce and strawberries, safe from wildlife.”
The ABC News Reporter Had House-Hunted For Six Years Before Finding Her Home
Shah further stated that the residence was more than just a place to live. Her husband had house-hunted for six years before finding the home in November. They closed on the property on Christmas Eve.
“Growing up, my parents didn’t own a home,” she explained. “Like so many, I worked, saved, and sacrificed with the dream of having what my parents didn’t have. I cook most meals at home, I haven’t had kids yet, and I don’t travel for fun. Because of this, over years, I saved enough for 20% of our down payment. I was so proud.”
Unfortunately, after years of working and searching, the house is now gone. Although she has been reassured by friends that she can rebuild and make the new home the way she wants, Shah said the house she had before was already perfect.
“I have to be honest. As much as I’m determined to rebuild with Rishi, we are also so damn sad,” she admitted. “I know we are very lucky—we are safe. But I ping-pong between feeling like a stronger, wiser version of myself and curling up into a scared, 4-year-old version. I’m also scared because this isn’t even over.”
Shah went on to lash out at insurance companies, demanding they give policyholders what they are owed.
“The rebuilding process cannot take so long. Permitting offices appear to need far more staffing,” she noted. “ It appears there may have been many preventable scenarios.”
She then reminded her followers that California has a gubernatorial election in 2026 and a presidential election in 2028.
“Politicians will need to show results—and fast,” she added. “I’m determined to find answers. This journey is personal.”