South African actress Christel Smith’s brother has set up a GoFundMe account after her house burned down in the recent Los Angeles (LA) fires, leaving the former Egolistar and her son Edward “homeless.”
According to her sibling, Christel’s home was uninsured due to the area being prone to natural disasters.
Several celebrities, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore, Mel Gibson, Jhene Aiko, and many more, lost their properties in the tragedy.
CHRISTEL SMITH: GOFUNDME SET UP FOR ACTRESS AFTER LA FIRES
In a Facebook post, Christel Smith’s brother Christo revealed that he had started a GoFundMe campaign to help her as she was now “homeless” amid the LA fires.
The former Egoli actress’s home she shares with her husband Edie Durkin and teen son Edward burned down in the disaster on Tuesday, 6 January.
The horrific fires in Los Angeles have unfortunately claimed my sister and her son’s home.
Something like this is…
Posted by Christo Smith on Sunday 12 January 2025
“All that is left is ashes,” reads the crowdfunding campaign.
“Edward and Christel are both talented musicians, and Edward is a keen filmmaker. All of their music equipment and all of Edward’s movie equipment, costumes, and props, most of which Edward paid for with the pocket money he made from curb painting and dog sitting, were reduced to ashes.
“Due to the area being prone to earthquakes and wildfires, as with many other properties in Los Angeles, their home and belongings could not be insured.
“They are now homeless and have virtually only the clothes on their backs”.
The campaign is set to raise $14 000 – nearly R300 000. This will reportedly help Christel Smith and family pick up the pieces after the LA fires.
SA MEMORIES BURNED DOWN IN LA FIRES
According to Christel Smith, she lost all her fond memories of home in the LA fires.
She shared in a Facebook post: “All my Egoli memorabilia and photos have been burnt…
“My press book and TV and film footage that I never digitized. My South African mementos”.
According to reports, Christel and her family are staying with friends for now.
MOVING TO AMERICA
Christel Smith was born in Cape Town and later moved to Johannesburg. She is well known for her role as Tarien in the M-Net soap opera Egoli.
Like the late actress Esta TerBlanche, her Egoli onscreen sister, Christel, moved to the US to pursue their acting career abroad. In fact, the TV siblings shared an apartment together after making the big move to the US.
Images via GoFundMe
The blonde bombshell traded the “City of God” for the upmarket residential area of Pacific Palisades, which is close to Hollywood.
Christel married US financial advisor Eddie Dirkin in 2009, and their son Edward was born shortly thereafter.
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