6 Months After the LA Fires: What Nicole Wishes She Knew Before Her House Burned Down

Six months ago, Nicole Lapin lost her home in the LA fires. Today, she opens up about what the last six months have really looked like: the emotional toll, the bureaucratic maze of FEMA and SBA, the painful process of replacing IDs and legal documents, and the financial strain of waiting on insurance. But this isn’t just a story of loss—it's a roadmap for anyone facing a crisis. Nicole shares hard-won lessons, must-do prep work (digital go-bags are non-negotiable), and why asking for help is not weakness—it’s strategy. Plus, she pulls back the curtain on the systemic cracks in disaster recovery that often go unspoken.  All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.  *APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change. See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.