Beloved family dog inspires Altadena’s first fully rebuilt house after devastating Eaton Fire
Ted Koerner and his beloved golden retriever, Daisy May, just settled back into their home after it’s been fully rebuilt for the first time since the Eaton Fire. The single‑story, 2,160‑square‑foot house was completed in just a little over four months—thanks to Koerner’s fierce determination to get his 13‑year‑old dog back under her own roof.
On the day he finally received the certificate of occupancy from LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Koerner told The Post how much Daisy means to him. “She eats Atlantic salmon every day and drinks mountain spring water that costs $3.50 a bottle, every day of her life,” he said. “She is that important to me, she has saved me many times and I consider her to be a living angel.”
When the fires forced him to evacuate, Koerner remembered that the most precious thing he could take was a couple of framed photos of Daisy when she was two. He also had old oil paintings by Disney illustrators and bronze sculptures of the dog, but those were lost to the flames. All that remained was a chimney and a pile of rubble when construction began again.
The new home—three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an attached garage, and a patio—feels like a far cry from the tiny hotel room he and Daisy had to share while they were displaced. “It’s a huge adjustment. The big key is we’re home,” Koerner said. “I lay down on the floor with her like normal every morning, step outside and put our feet in the wet grass. And there isn’t anyone else here; it’s like being in Yellowstone National Park.” He added, “Everyone helped make this happen. Now we’re actually home, and we did it.”
County officials expect several more homes to be finished soon, and Koerner’s story is highlighted as a hopeful example of resilience after the blaze.
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