From the Palisades Fire to a Fresh Start in Santa Monica: Ethan and Dean's Story

On January 7th, 2025, the Palisades Fire tore through Ethan's neighborhood. His family evacuated with their dogs and a few items as flames moved down their street. Their home survived, defying the odds in the epicenter of the destruction, but it was uninhabitable for six months. His brother's home in Altadena burned completely. His nephews' school was gone. Most of his childhood friends lost everything.

Ethan was 24. He'd just earned his Master's in Graphic Design & Visual Experience from the Savannah College of Art and Design, after completing his BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in Mobile Interactive Design the year before. Art has been part of his life since he was three. He was diagnosed with what was then called Asperger's at two and a half, now classified as level 1 autism. He's a Westside Regional Center consumer.

He'd moved back to California from Georgia, finished his final quarter of postgrad online, and was job hunting when the fire hit. For an adult with autism who thrives on routine and familiarity, losing your home, your neighborhood, and your sense of normal all at once is deeply destabilizing.

Two temporary living situations followed, including five months in a high-rise in downtown Los Angeles. No permanent address. No job yet. No footing.

But Ethan kept moving. By spring, he'd landed graphic design work with two entertainment companies and picked up freelance projects through Upwork. Then his family found a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica.

The apartment was a turning point. But something was still missing. Ethan needed a roommate. Not just someone to split rent, but someone who could bring some structure, share daily life, and be a steady presence as he worked toward his independent living goals. This is what life-sharing is built for — pairing adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities with a supportive roommate who's a friend first and a support second.

Through a friend-of-a-friend connection, Ethan found Dean. Dean had recently graduated college, moved back to Los Angeles, and was looking for a fresh start and a little more independence. The fit was obvious from the start.

Now they're living together in Santa Monica. Dean is building his own post-college life while being a meaningful part of someone else's. Ethan has the consistency and companionship that lets him keep pushing forward. They cook, they hang out, they figure out the mundane stuff of adult life together. Homies funds Dean's support hours through Westside Regional Center, which means Ethan's family isn't paying out of pocket for any of this. Here's how the program works.

And Ethan isn't slowing down. He's busy with design work, training Krav Maga, doing Vibe Rides through Venice, hitting concerts, and exploring a documentary project on the psychology of mosh pits.

A year ago, Ethan was evacuating his home with no idea what came next. Now he has work he cares about, a roommate who chose to be there, and a place to build from.

We're grateful to be part of his story.

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If you're a family on the Westside looking for housing for an adult with autism or another developmental disability, we'd love to talk. We work with Westside Regional Center across Santa Monica, Culver City, Venice, West LA, and surrounding communities.