Ricki Lake is grateful for the outpouring of support she’s received since losing her house in the Los Angeles fires earlier this month, including being given a very special gift.
On her Instagram page Sunday, Lake explained one of the things she lost in the fire that was “so painful” for her were photo albums of the home birth of her son, Owen, from 2001.
The former talk show host did record the birth in her documentary “The Business of Being Born,” but she had “a beautiful album” of photos from the time as well.
Over the weekend, Lake said one of her birth doulas, Jennifer Lickson, reached out to her after the fire destroyed her home and offered copies of the photos of her son’s birth.
“It’s like the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. I can’t believe I’m going to have those back and be able to look back on it,” acknowledging she has the film, but the photo album mattered to her as well.
“It’s the little things that are the biggest things of all,” she added.
In the caption, she thanked her doula again, describing the photos as, “One of the many priceless things I lost in the fire. I am so deeply moved by this kind gesture.”
On Saturday, Lake also shared how grateful she’s been for the support she’s received since losing her home.
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“This experience has been, it’s brought me to my knees. And I can’t imagine the people who have had it worse off,” she said, thanking a variety of companies and friends who have provided help.
“It’s so weird to be in a place of need. I am such an independent person, I’ve been taking care of my own since [I was] 18 years old,” Lake added.
“I don’t come from money, I don’t come from any handout or nepotism,” she continued. “I just built this life for myself and my husband and my kids. It’s just so weird to have it be gone in one event.”
She noted she’s lost so many things she’s collected over her lifetime, including the original “Hairspray” script signed by her co-stars, and photos from her parents and grandparents.
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The 56-year-old star added that she had taken several fire prevention measures, but feels the entire city was ultimately unprepared.
“I can’t even wrap my head around what happened and where we fell short … it’s a very strange time to be alive. I really am grateful to everyone who reached out to me.”
“Keep us in your thoughts please and all of us who are going through this nightmare of having to rebuild our lives,” she concluded. “I am going to be okay. I am one of the lucky ones in that I do have insurance. It doesn’t replace what was lost, but we are going to create a new magical spot.”
Last week, Lake shared that she and her husband, Ross Burningham, are working on rebuilding their home, looking to create “something else just as magical.”
“My home in Malibu was a sanctuary, a hub for so many friends and loved ones. Too many gatherings to count. Endless areas on the property to hang, dance and play,” she wrote on Instagram on Monday. “It is exhausting and paralyzing right now to try and wrap my head around how I will do it all again…..but I will.”
