Los Angeles — David Israel’s home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles burned down in January’s devastating Palisades Fire.
“It was such a beautiful, beautiful curated house,” Israel told CBS news back in January when he returned to the site of the scorched home with his son, Orly, to see what was left of it. “…I loved this house. It was really a member of the family.”
The Palisades and Eaton fires earlier this year killed at least 31 people and destroyed thousands of homes in L.A. County.
In May, David, a television writer, and his wife, Jacquie, packed up their remaining belongings into an RV and set out on the open road. Orly remained in L.A.
“When the fire took our house, took the community, we thought the universe is just saying: go on an adventure,” David said.
Added Jacquie: “There’s just something really healing about just doing this and meeting people and seeing people.”
For more than 10 weeks, the couple has been crisscrossing the U.S. with their two dogs. CBS News caught up with them when they reached New York.
“This is our baby, this is our home, this is our whole life right here,” David said. “…If I was by myself, I don’t think I would’ve lasted to Nevada. But being that Jacquie is here next to me, I always feel like she’s here. She’s got me. And I’ve got her, and we can go forward together.”
Along the way, they have visited old friends and made new ones.
“I remember thinking, it’s horrendous what happened to our house and our community,” David said. “But we are good. We’re healthy. And I felt strongly that we were going to be able to move forward and figure it out. We don’t know if we’re going to rebuild or not. We don’t know if we’re going to be back in the Palisades or not. But I know that we’re going to make an informed decision whenever the time is right.”
For now, the Israels say they are looking forward to staying on the move.
“We’re meeting people, we’re seeing beauty, incredible beauty. It’s just like, this is what’s filling us up right now,” Jacquie said.
“Everything that’s going on in the news, in our country, it’s divisive, it’s angry,” David said. “And we’re seeing a whole different side of that. We’re talking about…what connects us rather than what divides us.”
They’re discovering a lot on their journey, especially the healing power of the open road.
“Almost everybody we’re meeting is kind and friendly, willing to help, willing to hear our story, willing to share their stories, willing to tell us where to go and what to do and how to plug your sewer line in your RV,” David said. “Now I have confidence that everywhere we go, we’re going to find people who are going to be kind and open and friendly. And it really reminds me our country is filled with beautiful people.”
