Melissa Rivers, Who Lost Her Home to L.A. Fires, Says She's No Stranger to Trauma: 'My Father's Suicide, My Mom's Death' (Exclusive)
Melissa Rivers talks to PEOPLE about losing her home in the Palisades fire, and how she's staying strong: "There'll be time to cry later"
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Melissa Rivers after appearing on "Good Day New York" on Sept. 9, 2024 in New York City.It's only been a week since Melissa Rivers lost everything she owned in the Palisades Fire, and while she's still in shock, she says she's also no stranger when it comes to living through trauma.
"I've only had two little cries so far," Melissa, 56, tells PEOPLE of the horrifying experience. "One for five minutes, and the other for about 20."
"But I'm one of those people who has twice gone through the experience of going to bed one way and then you wake up with your life upside down," she notes. "First with my father [Edgar Rosenberg, who died by suicide in 1987], and then when I lost my mom [Joan Rivers]."
"I know that I have to just keep putting one foot in front of the other," she adds. "There'll be time to really cry later."
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Melissa Rivers with her dad Edgar Rosenberg before his death in 1987Related: Melissa Rivers Grabbed Mom Joan's Emmy, Father's Photo Before Home Was Destroyed in Palisades Fire
Melissa first shared the news of the loss of her home to the wildfires in an Instagram post on Jan. 8.
"My family and I have safely evacuated and we are deeply grateful to be unharmed. I am heartbroken by the devastation caused by the fires, which have tragically destroyed my home 💔 " she wrote. "I want to express my profound gratitude to the courageous firefighters and first responders who are tirelessly risking their lives to protect our communities and save lives."
Looking back on that devastating day, Melissa tells PEOPLE she was at home filming a bit for QVC when an assistant and her son Cooper both told her about the fires at the same time. She says she called her fiancé Steve Mitchell to come home, and they began grabbing supplies for her dogs and cat and important papers.
"It's crazy to look down and realize that everything you own in life has been stuffed into three LL Bean Tote bags," she says. "It's all just so surreal. I think I'm still in shock."
Related: Celebrities Who Have Lost Homes in the Los Angeles Fires, and What They've Said
Melissa previously revealed to CNN that she managed to grab her mother's Emmy and a photo of her father before evacuating, but that was about it.
"We got everything we could and left," she tells PEOPLE. "In hindsight, you want to say we probably could have had more time to get stuff together, but in the moment we did exactly what we're supposed to do, which was just go. Because when they say go, you go. Do not stay and be hopeful with your garden hose spraying on the front lawn or on your roof. You're just getting in the way of emergency services that need to go there, and could end up being part of the problem."
The television personality, who has been staying at a friend's house (after having to also evacuate the first two places she sought refuge in), says she's feeling sorrowful she didn't take a few more sentimental items.
"My mom's favorite sweater. I had her bathrobe and my dad's bathrobe," she explains. "Everybody is like, 'What about her wardrobe?' But I'm like, I lost the only three things of theirs that I kept in my house because they reminded me so much of them."
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Melissa Rivers and Joan Rivers attend the 2014 NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfronts at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on May 15, 2014 in New York City.Melissa, who is supposed to be marrying Mitchell in a few months, now has no idea what her next move will be. "I have no clue about anything right now," she says.
"My only concern right now is getting settled into a new place and out of our friend's hair, getting the animals back together," she continues. "And I'm finding that for me, checking on other people and comforting some other people is helping me. Maybe I'm just trying to not deal with reality, but it's still helping me."
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As for where she finds her strength, Melissa says she learned it from her late parents.
"I am my parent's daughter," she says. "Our family motto was from Winston Churchill: 'If you're going through hell, keep going.' There'll be time to wallow later. Right now is not the time that I am capable of feeling sorry for myself. I know it is going to hit me at some point, but right now I don't have time to let it hit me."
She adds, "And thank God I have a dark sense of humor because I'm keeping everyone around me laughing, including myself. That's my superpower."
Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires.
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