Sandra Lee is in “total disbelief” to find her home in Malibu still standing after the Los Angeles fires.
On Monday, Lee took to Instagram to share that her home is one of 10 in her neighborhood that wasn’t affected by the Palisades Fire.
“I was able to go to Malibu late yesterday. It is with a heavy heart for my local community, yet the most shocked and grateful heart I share my home, Avalon- still stands,” she said.
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“I could not believe my eyes to be one of 10 in my neighbor of homes still there. I do not know how. I can only assume it was the quick action of our firefighters. I’m in total disbelief. I feel guilty for being a part of a bubble of these homes spared. I have such sadness for the people who have lost their lives, and I grieve for the families who have lost their loved ones.
“There are no words to express my emotion as these fires still burn out of control. My heart remains with everyone in Los Angeles, my numerous neighbors, and my two most wonderful girlfriends who’s homes are gone,” Lee continued.
She went on to praise the first responders who have been on the front lines, defending the community.
“I want to take a moment and give thanks to the brave firefighters, police and national guard. My endless gratitude to the selfless first responders, numerous volunteers and all the other community support teams who continue to work tirelessly,” she said. “I hope you join me today to say a prayer for LA and our communities. Thank you for keeping all of us in your thoughts. For me, I will thank God every day.”
Lee is no stranger to heartbreak.
From the deaths of her beloved aunt and uncle – who were parent figures to her – to her breakup with former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and battling breast cancer, the Food Network star has proven resilient time and time again. Lee, who evacuated from her Malibu home due to the LA wildfires on Tuesday, faced a real possibility of losing her home.
On Jan. 7, Lee shared terrifying footage of the blaze scorching the hills around her and her home.
“My home in Malibu has got me through some of the darkest moments in my life,” she wrote in the caption. “I have loved creating it, embellishing it, building it, caring for it, and protecting it. I’ve cherished every moment I have had with it. As the fire draws closer, I pray for it – I pray for everyone in Los Angeles right now. What an incredibly terrifying moment for my community.”
“As the fire reaches our doorstep, please stay in contact with each other; Community in times like these is our lifeline,” she added. “We are all safe but the fire is inching closer to my slice of heaven in Malibu. When I was waitress at the Malibu Adobe back in 1989, I dreamed of a home like this (FOR ME) and worked my butt off for it. I am sad, but I am sending all my love to all the first responders and firefighters who are literally giving it all they’ve got to keep us safe!!!”
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One day later, Lee told her followers her house was “gone” in an emotional video posted to Instagram.
“For all your prayers – Thank you. I’m trying to process all this… I am truly grateful we are all safe,” a visibly upset Lee said in the video. “My house is gone – I cried all night and thought about every room, nook, and cranny. It was perfection and now it’s just Ash. Please keep our community, the firefighters and the first responders in your prayers. This is not over – not even close.”
On Thursday, however, Lee shared she’s unsure if her home remains standing, as she has received conflicting reports.
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“Last night, I was told that my house was lost in the fire. I didn’t sleep all night. All I did was cry and think about it. An hour ago I received call from my real estate agent saying that my house was still there as was the neighbors houses,” she wrote on Instagram. “My neighbor received a call from her dear friend Who said she just drove past the houses and they’re both gone-Everything is gone!”
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“I received a call from my insurance broker who says he can’t even get down the street and no one’s allowed on PCH,” she continued. “I have not been in my house in two days. I have no idea what is going on. This is the most stressful thing and I’m just trying to stay calm, but I FEEL AT SUCH A LOSS. I can’t see my house, I don’t know if my friends and family’s homes or my own home stands.”
“I’m completely anxiety ridden, I’m totally emotional and I feel incredibly overwhelmed, but the most important thing is that everybody is OK,” she added. “I am praying for our homes, memories, and our community. My heart breaks for the neighbors I know who have lost their homes. Thank you to everyone who has reached out. I just don’t know.”
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According to People magazine, Lee purchased the Malibu home in November 2019, shortly after her split from Cuomo.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Lee’s rep for comment.
Prior to evacuating her home, Lee had faced her share of hardships.
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The “Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee” star was diagnosed with breast cancer, specifically ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), in 2015. She underwent a double mastectomy and later a complete hysterectomy.
Four years later, she faced yet another uphill battle when she split from Cuomo after 14 years. They were never married.
Last year, Lee opened up about the moment she knew her relationship was over.
“I was in my kitchen, and he said something. And the minute he said it, I knew what he’d just said. And every window and door closed. And that was it,” Lee explained to Us Weekly.
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However, Lee refused to share the details of the comment made in the spring of 2019.
“He knows what it is. I know what it is,” she said.
At the time of their split, Lee and Cuomo had been spending less time together and had “separate” lives.
Lee didn’t share many details about her breakup from Cuomo, choosing instead to keep the information private.
“When you live separate lives, you are not creating a life together,” she told the outlet.
In June 2023, Lee announced the deaths of her aunt Peggy and uncle Bill, who were parent figures to her since adolescence.
“This is the saddest things [sic] I will ever write. My wonderful Uncle Bill has passed away. He was a Father to me, My only real Dad,” Lee wrote on Instagram at the time, alongside a carousel of photos of her uncle.
Lee said she lived with her uncle and aunt “on and off” as a baby, and as she grew older, her bond with them only became stronger.
“My Uncle was my mentor, my protector, my facilitator, my confidant, my best friend,” she continued. “He smiled when I was nice, but when I was naughty, he would burst in bold thunderous laughter. I could always be me, every flaw and imperfection – he liked most.”
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One day later, Lee shared that her aunt had died five months prior to her uncle.
“How are they both gone,” Lee wrote on Instagram at the time. “One day she was here, the next not.”
Throughout all her trials and tribulations, Lee said the last decade made her “wiser and stronger.”
“I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will never get over the heartbreak of loss of the last 10 years,” Lee told Us Weekly. “The grief has been endless, but I will use it to fuel and feed me and make me wiser and stronger.
“I would say that I’ve had the most challenging decade of my life.”
Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and Rachel Wolf contributed to this post.
