Milo Ventimiglia is grappling with an emotional upheaval after wildfire devastation left his Malibu home in ruins just days before the arrival of his first child with wife Jarah Mariano. The star of This Is Us recently opened up about the heavy feelings he experienced while surveying the wreckage of what was once his family home. In an interview with CBS News, he described the property as completely destroyed, referring to it simply as “toast.”
Reflecting on the ordeal, Ventimiglia expressed his sorrow while recalling bittersweet memories tied to the house. He empathized with his neighbors, stating, “You start thinking about all the memories and the different parts of the house and whatnot and then you see your neighbors’ houses and everything around and your heart just breaks.”
With the flames raging near their neighborhood, Ventimiglia, 47, and his pregnant wife evacuated just in time. He recounted the surreal moment of witnessing the flames consume their home via security cameras. “I think there’s a kind of shock moment where you’re going, ‘Oh, this is real, this is happening,’” he said. Eventually, they decided to turn off the camera feed as they processed the reality of their loss.
Despite their evacuation plan involving gathering “everything they could think of,” the couple still faced significant losses, including their baby’s crib, which was prepared for the imminent arrival of their child. This loss resonated with Ventimiglia, who noted the irony of his character Jack Pearson, who also experienced a house fire in This Is Us.
“It’s not lost on me life imitating art,” he remarked, adding that despite the heartbreaking situation, he feels equipped to move forward with the support of friends and loved ones. “Wife and baby and dog, most important,” he declared, indicating that even amidst the overwhelm of loss, the core of his life remains intact.
The couple, who tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2023, revealed their pregnancy to the world in September 2024. As they navigate the challenges brought about by this natural disaster, Ventimiglia remains grateful for the support system around them.
