SANTA MONICA, Calif. — When Cassidy Hart, a senior at Saint Monica Preparatory, learned during class that a wildfire was approaching her family’s home in the Palisades, her life changed in an instant.
Hart rushed home to pack a bag and relocate to a hotel, but her father stayed behind to defend their property.
“My dad stayed to fight the fire, but he sent us a final photo that said, ‘The fire’s in our backyard now,’ and that’s when I kind of knew it was over,” Hart said. “We saw it on the news, and someone sent us a photo of the cul-de-sac I lived in—almost all the houses at the end were burned down.”
Despite the devastation, Hart focused on helping others in need. She became involved with her school’s essentials drive, collecting supplies for families affected by the fire. Her younger sister, also a student at Saint Monica and on the same cheer team, was inspired to start a book drive.
“When we were at the hotel in Santa Monica, a girl came crying down the hall saying, ‘I lost all my books,’” Hart recalled. “My sister thought, ‘What can I do to help?’ She’s collected over 2,000 books now to give to different elementary schools. That just makes me so proud.”
Hart credits her parents for instilling a sense of resilience and service in their family.
“So many people want to make you the victim in a situation like this, but all you want to do is pull yourself out and help others—if you’re that kind of person,” she said.
Though she briefly stepped away from her cheerleading team, Hart was determined to return as soon as possible.
“I had already lost something so meaningful to me. To lose another part of my life that I love would’ve been completely detrimental,” she said. “Cheer became my outlet. I could scream during cheers, hit sharp motions, throw girls in the air—it let me release all my energy.”
Hart hopes others facing adversity find strength in what they love.
“Keep doing the things you love, and fully put yourself into them,” she said. “There was no question I would come back to cheer. It was an obvious answer.”
Hart’s resilience, compassion, and leadership have become a source of inspiration not only for her teammates, but for her entire community.