Who was Rory Callum Sykes? Former child star dies in LA wildfires after author mom was unable to save him

Former child actor Rory Callum Sykes recently lost his life in the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. A report by The Sun stated that 32-year-old Rory gained recognition after he appeared on the British TV show Kiddy Kapers, which aired in 1988. Rory, who lived with cerebral palsy, died on January 8.

Rory's mother Shelley Sykes, a well-known author, confirmed the news of her son's death through a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on January 9, 2025.

Shelley Sykes wrote that she was heartbroken after her son's demise and added:

"British born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandmas birthday 29 July 92."

Shelley wrote that Rory's "pet peacocks Edgee & Mickie" alongside his fans would always miss him. In an interview with 10 News First, Shelley Sykes said that she attempted to get in touch with the authorities by calling 911 when her house was on fire. However, she failed to get any help, saying that her son Rory Callum Sykes "died needlessly" and continued:

"He said, 'Mom, leave me', and no mom can leave their kid. I couldn't lift him. I couldn't move him."

According to The Sun, Shelley eventually went a quarter mile driving so that she could find the first responders. However, she was informed by the firefighters that her son had died from carbon monoxide poisoning, as per 10 News First.

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Rory Callum Sykes was living with his mother at a cottage located at their family estate in Malibu

A report by People magazine on Saturday, January 11, stated that Rory and Shelley resided in a cottage at the Malibu-based family estate, spread over 17 acres.

While announcing Rory Callum Sykes' death on X, Shelley Sykes also addressed her son's work over the years, revealing that she and Rory formed an organization called Happy Charity. Shelley also wrote:

"He saw him self as the number one fan of @Apple & @tim_cook & most importantly an avid @RunScape gamer! @rorysykes was born blind with cerebral palsy & had difficulty walking."

Shelley stated that Rory Callum Sykes was able to recover from his problems through surgeries, including that he got his eyesight back and was able to walk on his feet again. Shelley mentioned that her son wanted to travel around the world despite having a lot of pain and continued:

"@rorysykes was a sought after inspirational speaker for @TonyRobbins when he was only 8 years old. @CallumsCure book first published by @simonschuster in Australia was about his courage."

Shelley said that her Malibu-based residence was unable to get access to water since the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District cut off the supply, and she eventually could not put out the cinders on the roof.

Rory Callum Sykes' bio on his official page on X, where he has been active since 2009, states that he is a "gamer turned investor and entrepreneurial philanthropist" who loves to play games such as RuneScape.