Pacific Palisades 10-year-old inspires community after devastating losses

By Marc Cota-Robles

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    SANTA MONICA, California (KABC) — A 10-year-old girl who lost just about everything in the Palisades Fire is an example of resilience amid so much heartbreak. Eden Savoain lost her home, dojo, and karate accolades in the January 7 fire.

Savoian is literally punching back – and inspiring her community. Earlier this month, Eden traveled to Las Vegas for the International Martial Arts Competition and scored two bronze medals. Those medals were in Traditional Forms and Traditional Weapons (nunchucks).

Her dojo outfitted Savoain with a new uniform, belt and nunchucks for the Las Vegas competition. She returned the favor by also helping to coordinate replacement medals and trophies for her fellow dojo classmates who also lost their homes in the fire.

“Everything will turn around,” Savoain told Eyewitness after returning home.

She attended Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center in Pacific Palisades. The karate studio was a cornerstone in the community for 43 years, but was also destroyed in the fire.

For now, they’re operating out of a temporary dojo in Santa Monica.

“We’re going back to the Palisades, we’re going to rebuild it,” says Blanck.

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