Los Feliz neighbors reunite

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Norman Mennes, 90, who lives alone in his house on Commonwealth Avenue, was evacuated by his neighbor Gary Griffitts, 48, as the fire raged. Mennes said he grabbed pictures of his deceased wife, his parents and ‘a wad of dollar bills.’

The retired Los Angeles City College professor who has lived in the neighborhood since 1974 said the sky was a bright orange as flames engulfed the nearby hillside.

‘It was very strange to see the whole hillside in flames,’ he said. ‘It gave the feeling like it was going to come right over you.’

Griffiths, who lives next door, said he was worried because he had spent the last two years remodeling his home. But he said his main concern was for his ‘puppies and Norman.’

‘He was one of my first concerns,’ he said. ‘We all look after him.’

Both had returned home early Wednesday as another neighbor, Mary Beth Sorensen and her 16-year-old daughter, Sarah Inkelis, walked by to check on them.

‘I’m so glad you’re home,’ Sorensen said.

‘There’s a little ash and no electricty,’ Griffiths said, ‘but everything’s ok.’

Sorensen said she had just had her windows cleaned on Tuesday for the first time in years. She said she was writing a check for the work when she heard the sirens. She said the family snatched photos off the walls and started packing up their dogs and rabbits, which had to be transported separately so the ‘dogs wouldn’t eat the rabbits.’

Sorensen said she told her daughter to pack up whatever was most meaningful to her. So Sarah took her bahmitzvah pictures, her computer, a change of clothes and her AP study guide.

‘We are just so relieved, not just for us, but for everyone,’ she said after returning to discover their home was safe. ‘The fact that part of the park is gone is sad but it could have been so much worse. I feel relieved that everyone has their home and their lives.’

Sarah said she couldn’t believe the devastation to the park.

‘It was like, ‘Oh, my God, what if our house burns down, how am I going to go to school and take my AP test.’

As for Mennes, he said he was just glad to be back in his ‘ash ridden home.’

‘The first thing I want to do is take a bath,’ he said.

-Anna Gorman