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HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES () — A new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame isn’t honoring a famous singer or actor. Instead, it’s dedicated to some of the brave heroes who battled the Palisades and Sunset fires earlier this year — the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The idea began with one eighth-grader’s assignment all the way in Connecticut. Now, it’s coming to life in Hollywood.
“We’re giving an Award of Excellence star to the Los Angeles firefighters,” said Steve Nissen, the president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
It all started with a letter addressed to Nissen.
“I open it up, and it’s from an eighth-grade student in Orange, Connecticut,” Nissen said.
“I am Eniola Taiwo. I am writing to ask for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in representation of the first responders of California,” the letter read, in part.
Taiwo wrote the letter for a class assignment.
“It was hand-addressed… a real stamp. The kind of letter you don’t see that often,” Nissen said. “The assignment was to write a letter about heroes and send it to someone who might be able to do something about it.”
Nissen was impressed by the eighth-grader who recognized the L.A. firefighters as heroes, even mentioning the firefighters in her own family.
“She said she knew that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce gave stars on the Walk of Fame just to celebrities, but she thought that the firefighters were celebrities and heroes and should get treatment on the Walk of Fame, or at least near the Walk of Fame,” Nissen said.
Nissen completely agreed, and now, this Friday morning, L.A. city firefighters will be part of a special ceremony unveiling the star.
Eniola, along with her family and teacher, will be part of the ceremony.
“We’re flying them all out to join us for the ceremony,” Nissen said.
It’s thanks to a contribution from Disney and others.
“The Walt Disney Company was very generous in helping underwrite the cost to do this,” Nissen said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department is grateful for the recognition.
“I think that speaks volumes, that an eighth grader would recognize a way of showing her gratitude to what our firefighters, not just here in Los Angeles, but throughout the country, do every single day to provide service, compassion and care for the people we serve,” said LAFD Chief Jamie Moore.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of this station.
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