Wednesday was a bittersweet night for Pali High’s graduating class of 2025. They celebrated commencement at the Hollywood Bowl, a backup plan to their usual football field ceremony, which was destroyed in the deadly January fire.
Hundreds of students will forever remember graduating at the Bowl, with their families looking on as they listened to inspiring words from actor and fellow Palisades Fire survivor Billy Crystal.
“For many of you, you’ve been relocated, living in a new place,” Crystal said. “Your stuff is gone, all the things you loved and took for granted, never to be seen again but now replaced with hard but important life lessons: Out of pain comes growth. Out of loss comes wins. Out of despair comes joy.”
The “When Harry Met Sally” actor recalled the day nearly six months ago when he and his family, like many others, left their homes behind.
“That terrible afternoon, Janice and I left with just what we were wearing. That’s all we had for almost a week,” he said.
Crystal infused some of his signature comedy into the heartfelt speech, providing some levity to the situation. “And after that time, my daughter said to me, Dad, you’re starting to smell. So she took me to a store in the Grove, and a young salesman asked me what I needed, and I said an, ‘entire new wardrobe,’ and he looked at me sadly and said, ‘Let me guess, Ozempic?'”
Other speakers at the event included NBA coach for the Golden State Warriors and former player Steve Kerr, LAUSD board member Nick Melvoin, and a video message from California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Many students told KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian that they wished the big day could have been on their home field. Still, they were all grateful for this iconic backup plan.
The blaze that destroyed a portion of the graduates’ school and many of their homes claimed the lives of 12 individuals, according to Cal Fire.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
