In the wake of the 2025 Eaton Fire, thousands of families lost their homes—along with the spaces that held their lives, memories, and sense of belonging.
From that loss, something extraordinary has emerged.
We have collected 5,400 keys—each one representing a home that is no longer there.
These keys are not just objects.
They are stories.
They are memory.
They are proof that something once existed—and mattered.
We are creating The Embrace:
a large-scale outdoor memorial in Altadena, California.
A structure you can walk into.
A space where thousands of keys surround you.
A place to remember, reflect, and reconnect.


Photographer Frank Schlegel lost everything in the Eaton Fire, but his passion to document the experience remains intact. In a journey towards community empowerment and to cope with his loss, Frank has been capturing photos of the devastation and has generously allowed me to use some for this memorial project. I took this photo of Frank o
Photographer Frank Schlegel lost everything in the Eaton Fire, but his passion to document the experience remains intact. In a journey towards community empowerment and to cope with his loss, Frank has been capturing photos of the devastation and has generously allowed me to use some for this memorial project. I took this photo of Frank on the morning we were evacuated, unaware that his home was already gone. You can see more of Frank's powerful images on Instagram @frank8x.
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