LA Marathon medal will usher in hope, healing for this Eaton Fire victim

ALTADENA, Calif. () — Victoria Barrera is taking us running through her old Altadena neighborhood, a route she took daily as an avid runner.

She hasn’t been back since the Eaton Fire tore through everything important to her: her home, her church, her daughter’s school.

“I couldn’t even, I still don’t and can’t grasp it fully. It’s something that’s so – it’s a calamity,” Barrera said.

The details of that night are still so vivid.

“I grabbed a couple of my medals, I grabbed a couple of my race bibs, this hat and some running glasses,” she said.

She’s so glad she did because running symbolizes so much to her.

Barrera has overcome everything from the foster system as a kid to being a single mother.

“Running is more than running … it’s about the endurance, being able to do difficult things,” Barrera said.

She started training for the L.A. Marathon in October. But in January, all of her plans came to a halt. And she stopped running.

But after starting the healing process, she threw her running shoes back on and hit the pavement.

For Barrera, a new medal will usher in hope and healing.

“This is bigger than just losing a home,” she said. “This is like community. This is love. This is rich, rich history.”