Former child star Rory Sykes dies in California wildfires

Former Australian child star Rory Sykes has died in the devastating California wildfires at the young age of 32.

According to his mother, Rory, who was born blind and had cerebral palsy, tragically lost his life when his family’s 17-acre Malibu estate was engulfed by flames earlier this week.

The actor, who starred in the late-’90s British TV show Kiddy Kapers, was living in a cottage on his family’s Malibu estate.

Rory’s mother Shelley Sykes took to her X account on Thursday to share the news of his sad demise.

“It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @Rorysykes to the Malibu fires yesterday. I’m totally heart broken,” Shelley Sykes wrote.

She further added, “British born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandmas birthday 29 July 92, Rory Callum Sykes.”

Shelley said that it burned down in the Palisades Fire when she was unable to “put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off by @LVMWD Las Virgenes Municipal Water.”

“Even the 50 brave fire fighters had no water all day! He will be incredibly missed,” she added.

Rory Sykes was a “sought after inspirational speaker” for Tony Robbins when he was 8 and appeared on television as a child.