'Hold those you love close': Chad Lowe's words after he completely lost his home to LA fire are resonating again after death of his daughter Fiona

Actor Chad Lowe, of Life Goes On fame, once urged people to hold their loved ones close after a devastating Los Angeles wildfire destroyed the home where his daughters had grown up. Now, following the death of his 13-year-old daughter Fiona Hepler Lowe, those words have taken on an especially poignant meaning. Chad and his wife, producer Kim Painter, announced Fiona’s death on Tuesday, Sept. 29, remembering their daughter as a loving, creative girl who adored dancing and brought light to their lives.

Chad Lowe and Kim Painter mourn daughter Fiona at 13

Actor Chad Lowe and producer Kim Painter are grieving the loss of their daughter, Fiona Hepler Lowe, who died at the age of 13. In a statement shared with People on Tuesday, Sept. 29, the family said they were “deeply heartbroken” by the loss of their beloved daughter. They remembered Fiona as “a loving young girl who was smart, creative, and loved to dance.” The family also said she was adored by her sisters and deeply loved by her parents. “In fact, she was the light of our lives,” they said. The family described her passing as devastating and asked for prayers and privacy during the difficult time.

Fiona was the second of Chad Lowe and Kim Painter’s three daughters

Chad, 58, and Kim, 52, welcomed Fiona in November 2012. She was the second of their three daughters. Fiona’s older sister, Mabel Painter, is 17, while her younger sister, Nixie Barbara, is 10. The family had previously shared moments of their life together, including their experience of losing their longtime home in the devastating Pacific Palisades Fire in early 2025. That home had been where the three girls grew up.

Chad Lowe once said, ‘Hold those you love close’

After the fire, which cost him his house, Chad shared an emotional message about the loss of the family home. In February, he posted about returning with his family to see what remained of the house. “This is what remains of 10 years of building our lives,” he wrote, acknowledging that their “hearts are broken” but adding that they were comforted by the support and offers of help they had received. Despite losing their belongings and home, Chad focused on what remained most important. “We have each other,” he wrote.

He also expressed gratitude towards first responders, police officers and firefighters who had worked to protect communities affected by the disaster.

Among the most poignant lines in Chad’s message were his reflections on what home meant after everything the family had lost. “Home really is where the heart is,” he wrote. He then urged people to “hold those you love close” and take care of one another. He described life as “so damn precious”, ending the message with love from himself, Kim and their three daughters, Fiona included, as well as the family’s three cats and two fish. The message, originally written after the destruction of their home, now carries an even more painful resonance following Fiona’s death.

Rob Lowe revealed the extent of the family’s loss

Chad’s brother, actor Rob Lowe, also spoke about the impact of the Pacific Palisades Fire on his family. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Rob, 60, revealed that Chad and his family had lost virtually everything in the blaze. “My brother, unfortunately, Chad lost his home, everything in it,” Rob said. He also described the devastation across the surrounding community, saying that Chad’s “entire neighborhood” was gone. Rob noted that Chad had three young daughters and that many of their friends had also lost everything.

The loss of their home had already forced Chad, Kim and their daughters to rebuild much of their lives from scratch. Now, following Fiona’s death, his reminder to “hold those you love close” carries a heartbreaking weight.