DWTS Alum ‘Haunted’ Over What Family Lost in Wildfire

A former contestant from “Dancing with the Stars” has opened up in a series of social media posts about the aftermath of losing her home in the recent California wildfires. Season 13 DWTS alum Ricki Lake explained she has felt haunted by thoughts about the belongings she did not think to grab before evacuating her home in a rush.

Ricki Lake Lost Photos & Her Original ‘Hairspray’ Script

On January 25, Lake shared a video on her Instagram page that came from a TikTok live she did. Several other TikTok and Instagram posts have contained similar thoughts from Lake as she navigates this new chapter of her life.

One thing Lake has said several times in these updates is that she is haunted by what she left behind at her home. She explained she and her husband had not planned to evacuate. They were prepared, with their neighbors, to stay in place and protect their homes.

However, the situation changed rapidly and they rushed to grab their dog and leave. Sadly, when they returned, they learned all of their belongings had burned.

Lake said she lost photo albums from her childhood as well as the childhoods of her kids. She also lost photo albums featuring her grandmother.

Another item that Lake is devastated to have lost was her original “Hairspray” script. She explained it had been signed by every cast member she starred with, and some of those people are no longer alive.

The 1988 film helped launch Lake’s career. She starred in “Hairspray” alongside entertainers such as Jerry Stiller, Sonny Bono, Debbie Harry, Ric Ocasek, Pia Zadora, Vitamin C, and Divine.

The DWTS Alum

Lake also said it’s been an “unspeakable” loss, although she repeatedly acknowledged that many others are facing even more difficult scenarios. She noted that she and her husband do have insurance, but they know it will not come close to truly replacing all they lost.

She said eventually she hopes to rebuild on the land where their home was. Lake believes it’s a magical spot and she reflected on how everything about it was done with intention. While she doesn’t know what the rebuild will look like, she knows she wants to stay on that land.

For now, Lake feels stuck in a place where she can’t do much to move forward. This has been,\ heightening her sense of loss.

“It’s so weird to be in a place of need. I am such an independent person. I’ve been taking care of my own since [I was] 18 years old,” Lake admitted.

Lake continued, “I don’t come from money, I don’t come from any handout or nepotism. I just built this life for myself and my husband and my kids. It’s just so weird to have it be gone in one event.”