Vivien Killilea/Getty; ABC/Sophie Flay/Instagram
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the Food Network star shared his thoughts about 28-year-olddaughter Sophie’s coverage of the Los Angeles Wildfires.
Sophie is a reporter for ABC7 Los Angeles and was reporting on the ground in a face mask, goggles and other protective gear during the wildfires that devastated much of Southern California beginning on Jan. 7. While more than 80,000 people were displaced as more than 10,000 homes and structures were engulfed in flames, Sophie took to the streets to share pertinent information on safety and evacuation measures.
The cookbook author, who shares Sophie with his ex-wife Kate Connelly, said he even downloaded the news station’s app to watch her updates. “I was watching it 24 hours a day. She did not go to sleep. I mean, it was crazy.”
Sophie Flay/Instagram
Despite the intensity and chaos of the fires, the pair stayed in touch while she was working. “The fires were literally behind her. I was just like, ‘Do you feel safe?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah.’ And then, of course, some tree hit their van the next day, and luckily, they weren’t in it. I mean, it was the Wild West. It was crazy.”
He continued, “But I was so proud of her because, most importantly, she was giving out really important information to people that needed it. And she was just so good. I was just like, ‘Who is this girl?’ ”
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South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) runs from Thursday, Feb. 20, to Sunday, Feb. 23.
source: people.com
