Billy Crystal describes pain by losing home in Palisades four on FireAid Benefit Concert: ‘Fall on my knees’

Billy Crystal, who lost his home in Palisades Fire, shared a moving message at the La Fireaid Benefit Concert on Thursday night at the Kia Forum.

After Green Day’s performance, Crystal took the stage to introduce the show, with revenue that went to a non-profit, supported displaced families, rebuilding infrastructure and promoting fire protection technologies.

“Our goal is simple tonight to raise more money than Dodgers spent on free agents,” the comedian joked.

Crystal explained that Steve Ballmer, the owner of Los Angeles Clippers and Intuit Dome, would match everyone’s donation, $ 1 for $ 1, Thursday night.

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The first donation of the night was from U2 for $ 1 million, as Ballmer will match, Crystal said.

“With your help around the country and here in the room we will laugh again. We will listen to music again and we will be okay.”

– Billy Crystal

“You hear from a number of people who were tragically influenced by these fires and I was one of them. This was the clothes I was wearing when I fled my house with my wife Janice as so many of us did, on January 7th.

“I looked like an evacuated or someone who just robbed a 7-11,” Crystal joked.

Crystal explained that 23 years ago he took the stage in Madison Square Garden to have an advantage after 9/11. He explained that he went out to a sorrowful audience and held up posters with pictures of their loved ones who asked if anyone had seen them.

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“And tonight, here I am, talking to you all in pain, but now I am also one of the hurtful thousands and asking, ‘Have you seen my school? Have you seen my church? Have you seen my house? Have you seen my city?

Crystal explained that after 9/11, he honors many first respondents and firefighters who lost their lives.

“Tonight we are here together to thank them and all those who run towards danger as we run to shelter and security,” Crystal said.

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He paused to welcome the first respondents, some of whom attend the benefit concert on Thursday night.

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“When we were finally able to return to our house in Palisades, which I lived II 46 years old, just like thousands of you, our house now looked like this,” Crystal said before a photo of the demand for Palisades four appeared on The screen.

“I stepped on the grounds and fell on my knees and I was crying. I hadn’t cried like that when I was 15 years old and I was told my dad was just dead. I can remember life in front of me and think, ‘How is my life going without him?’ “

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“And now the people, I am 76 years old, without a mirror and much less life to consider thinking, ‘how is my life without our home?'” Crystal asked.

“I stepped on the grounds and fell on my knees and I was crying. I hadn’t cried like that since I was 15 years old and I was told my dad was just dead.”

– Billy Crystal

Crystal explained that while visiting the reasons for what used to be his home for 46 years, his daughters ran with a cliff that had “laughter” engraved on it.

“Even in your worst pain people, it’s okay, and it’s important to laugh,” he said. “When I held that rock in my hands, it was the only thing left I thought it was a message from 15-year-old me and said ‘it will be okay and it will be okay.’ “

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“With your help around the country and here in the room we will laugh again. We will listen to music again and we will be okay,” Crystal said.