California wildfires threaten Sandra Lee’s new dream home after Cuomo split, battle with cancer
Sandra Lee heartbreak is no stranger.
From the death of her beloved aunt and uncle – who were her parents – to her breaking up with the former governor of New York. Andrew Cuomo and breast cancer battle, the Food Network star has proven resilient time and time again. Now, Lee, who evacuated her Malibu home on Tuesday due to the wildfires in LA, may be facing another possible loss.
On January 7, Lee shared a terrifying footage of the fire frying the hills around her and her home.
“My home in Malibu has gotten me through some of the darkest moments of my life,” she wrote in the caption. “I loved creating it, beautifying it, building it, caring for it and protecting it. I cherished every moment I had with it. As the fire approaches, I’m praying for it – I’m praying for everyone in Los Angeles right now. What an incredibly scary moment for my community.”
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Sandra Lee evacuated her Malibu home on January 7 due to the wildfires in LA. (Getty Images)
“Until the fire reaches our doorstep, please stay in touch with each other; community is our lifeline in times like this,” she added. “We are all safe, but the fire is getting closer to my piece of paradise in Malibu. When I was a waitress at the Malibu Adobe in 1989, I dreamed of a home like this (FOR ME) and I worked hard for it. I am sad, but I am sending all my love to all the first responders and firefighters who literally do their best to protect us!!!”
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A day later, Lee told her followers her house was “gone” in an emotional video he posted Instagram.
“For all your prayers – thank you. I’m trying to process all of this… I’m just really thankful that we’re all safe,” a visibly upset Lee said in the video. “My house is gone – I cried all night thinking about every room, nook and cranny. It was perfection and now it’s just Ash. Please pray for our community, firefighters and EMS. This is not over – not even close .”
However, on Thursday, Lee said she was unsure if her home would still be standing because she had received conflicting reports.
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“I was told last night that my house was lost in a fire. I didn’t sleep all night. All I did was cry and think about it. An hour ago I got a call from my real estate agent telling me that my house is still always there, like the neighboring houses,” she wrote on Instagram. “My neighbor got a call from her dear friend who said she had just passed the houses and they were both gone – Everything was gone!”
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“I got a call from my insurance broker saying he can’t even walk down the street and no one is allowed on PCH,” she continued. “I haven’t been in my house for two days. I have no idea what’s going on. This is the most stressful thing and I’m just trying to stay calm but I FEEL SO LOST. I can’t see my house, I don’t know if my friends and family’s house is standing or my own home. “
“I’m totally worried, I’m totally emotional and I feel incredibly overwhelmed, but the most important thing is that everyone is okay,” she added. “I am praying for our homes, our memories and our community. My heart breaks for the neighbors I know who have lost their homes. Thank you to everyone who has reached out. I just don’t know.”
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Lee has faced her share of hardships over the years. (Getty Images)
According to People magazineLee bought a home in Malibu in November 2019, shortly after her split from Cuomo.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Lee’s rep for comment.
Before evacuating her home, Lee faced her share of hardships.
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The star of “Semi-Home Cooking with Sandra Lee” was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, specifically ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). She underwent a double mastectomy and later a complete hysterectomy.
Four years later, she faced another uphill battle when she split from Cuomo after 14 years. They were never married.
Sandra Lee and Andrew Cuomo were in a relationship for 14 years before calling it quits in 2019. (Getty Images)
Last year, Lee talked about the moment she met her the relationship was over.
“I was in my kitchen, and he said something. And as soon as he said it, I knew what he just said. And every window and door closed. And that was it,” Lee explained to Us Weekly.
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However, Lee declined to share details of the spring 2019 comments.
“He knows what it is. I know what it is,” she said.
At the time of their separation, Lee and Cuomo spent less time together and led “separate” lives.
Lee didn’t share many details about her breakup with Cuomo, opting instead to keep the information private.
“When you live separate lives, you don’t create a life together,” she told the newspaper.
Lee was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. (Getty Images)
In June 2023, Lee announced the deaths of her Aunt Peggy and Uncle Bill, who had been her parents since adolescence.
“These are the saddest things [sic] I will ever write. My wonderful Uncle Bill passed away. He was my father, my only real dad,” Lee wrote Instagram at the time, alongside a carousel of photos of her uncle.
Lee said she lived with her uncle and aunt “on and off” as a baby, and as she grew up, her bond with them grew stronger.
“My uncle was my mentor, my protector, my helper, my confidant, my best friend,” she continued. “He smiled when I was nice, but when I was mean, he would burst into a bold roar of laughter. I could always be me, every flaw and imperfection – he loved the most.”
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A day later, Lee said her aunt died five months before her uncle.
“As they both went,” Lee went on to write Instagram at that time. – One day she was here, the next she wasn’t.
Through all her trials and tribulations, Lee said the past decade has made her “wiser and stronger.”
“I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never get over the heartbreak of losing the last 10 years,” Lee told Us Weekly. “The grief has been endless, but I will use it to encourage and nourish me and make me wiser and stronger.
“I’d say I’ve had the most challenging decade of my life.”
Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and Rachel Wolf contributed to this post.
