From Tragedy to Triumph: Keisari Penman’s
Journey of Resilience

Keisari Penman is not your typical teenager. The sixteen year old has been through the unimaginable after tragically losing her home to the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025. But her story is not defined by the hardships she has faced. A multi-sport athlete, gifted student, and community leader at Harvard-Westlake School, Keisari has remained positive, grounded, and resilient through the support of her family, friendships, and sporting community.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings in SoCal 

Born in Pasadena and raised just a few miles away in Altadena, Keisari grew up in the heart of Los Angeles. Her road to tennis was a bit unconventional, as neither of her parents played. It was actually her mother—a self-described tennis fanatic—who introduced her to the sport when she was just three years old. “Tennis was my mom’s thing,” Keisari says. “She’s a super fan of the sport and can tell you every fact there is about tennis. She put me in it at a very young age and I haven’t dropped a racquet ever since.”

What started as her mother’s passion soon became Keisari’s too. She credits the sport for making her more independent, disciplined, and driven. “At the end of the day, when things go wrong on the court, you are figuring it out on your own. You’re the one in the match. I think that taught me a lot of discipline and commitment early on,” Keisari says.

Family Values 

When asked about her parents, Keisari is quick to share her appreciation for them for raising her and her younger brother, Addison. “My mom is actually an immigrant from South Africa. She came here in 2002 with two bags and met my dad around 2006. They [both] came from very strong-willed families, and I think that’s a principle that my dad has made sure to carry throughout, you know, raising me and my brother,” she says.

“He made sure that we knew how to defend, stand up, and advocate for ourselves. That was kind of engraved in us by playing sports.” Keisari reflects. “It was all about ‘is this challenge going to break you, or is it going to make you better?’”

While that was a “harsh reality”—as Keisari put it—at an early age, she has a newfound respect for her parents’ disciplinary approach that they instilled in her and her brother. “Now looking back on it, I appreciate my parents for it, even though sometimes it sucked,” she laughs. “But now that I’m older and I understand a little more, especially with everything that’s happened with the fires, I appreciate every sacrifice they’ve made and everything that’s happened up until this point in my life and my brother’s life.”

A Devastating Tragedy 

On January 7, 2025, the unimaginable happened when a devastating fire set ablaze in the San Gabriel Mountains near Altadena and Pasadena and spread rapidly due to strong Santa Ana winds. Keisari’s home was one of more than 9,400 structures that tragically burned down. Now seven months later, Keisari and her family are still grappling with the aftermath after losing everything.

“I remember my family and I went into 2025 thinking it was going to be our year,” she recalls. “And then, eight days later, our house burned down, and it was just a crazy time because no one would have expected that.”

Faced with unbearable loss, Keisari remembers staying strong for Addison when she initially heard the news. She recalls staying calm for him as they took in the weight of the news, trying to be a source of strength for him while a million thoughts swirled in her head. A few hours later, her parents drove them to what was left of their house.

“The first thing I did was go to my room because I was like, maybe there’s a little bit of hope [finding anything]. I remember the first thing I thought about was all of my tennis trophies, my swim awards, my swim medals…I had probably over 400 different awards from eight to sixteen [years old]. It was all mush.”

Losing the trophies and awards that she achieved was especially difficult for Keisari. When she spoke to one of Harvard-Westlake’s school psychologists about coming to terms with that loss, she recalls: “I remember the psychologist was like, ‘you know, no one will ever be able to take that time away from you, that hard work away from you.’ And I understand that nobody will take that time away from me, but at the same time, it’s just my word [without any tangible proof].”

She continues, saying, “My life was reduced to bags. My mom came into this country with two bags, and now she’s back to that place. And that is something you should never have to face once in your life, let alone twice. It was all just so crazy.”

Finding Strength in Community and Giving Back 

It wasn’t easy for Keisari to bounce back to her daily routine at first, understandably so. After taking some time off from sports and spending time with her family, she returned to Harvard-Westlake to finish her sophomore year of high school. While many would take it easy for the remainder of the school year, Keisari went full speed ahead. A triple threat, Keisari is on the Varsity swim, water polo, and tennis teams for the Wolverines. Naturally, the next question you may ask is how she manages it all, a question that Keisari frequently gets asked and loves to answer.

“Everyone asks me how I balance it all. I think it’s a super fun question because as I’ve grown up and school’s gotten harder, there’s all these different challenges that arise. I think taking on a challenge is fun. I think it’s something I shouldn’t be scared of. I’d rather embrace it and, you know, do well.”

Tennis, always a constant in Keisari’s life, became an even greater source of comfort after the fires. She credits her high school tennis team and Varsity Girls’ Tennis Program Head, Jelena Durisic, for uplifting her in the darkest times, rallying behind her when she lost everything.

“When they found out [that I lost my house], they had replaced all of my gear, got me racquets, asked me for my strings, replaced my shoes, my uniforms, got me practice outfits, and got me a new bag,” she says, smiling. “And in that moment, I was like, this team is so special to me, and nothing gets better than that. It was such a nice moment, when you have nothing and you start to feel like something again.”

It’s a moment that Keisari will never forget, being embraced and supported by a community when she had so little to her name. In a full-circle moment, she recalls how at just fourteen years old, she wanted to give back to the tennis community so she donated her racquet to USTA Southern California so another young player could have the opportunity to step on the court and play.

“Being able to give my racquet knowing the things I’ve done with this racquet and the moments that I’ve gone through, I hope it’s a beacon of hope and strength to the next person,” she says. “I think in a time of struggle or loss or whatever it is, having that tennis racquet in your hand is something that you can lean on, something that you can look forward to, something that you have to just, you know, be you.”

Off-Court Excellence 

Beyond the court, Keisari is an accomplished student and leader in her community. Last year, she earned the prestigious Lester Medvene Award at Harvard-Westlake, given to one well-rounded sophomore each year who contributes to the life of the school and embodies Medvene’s “curiosity of mind and dedication of spirit.”

“I had no idea I was getting this award,” she laughs. “I didn’t even know my parents were there [at the ceremony] until they stood up and were applauding. I think, you know, it kind of reminded me my hard work does pay off. It was nice to be acknowledged.”

Additionally, Keisari is a part of multiple clubs on campus: she’s a leader for Women in Business, as well as a member of Black Student Union (BLACC) and Women of Color Club (WOC). She even took up pottery, because why not add more to her plate?

“It’s nice to be known for being able to compete in sports and academics, but also being a part of the social life at Harvard-Westlake…and being able to balance all of it and do well at it,” she remarks.

Moving Forward 

Despite the unthinkable loss, Keisari’s positive outlook on life hasn’t wavered. When asked how she stays resilient and strong through it all, she leans on a firm belief that everything happens for a reason.

“Obviously this is hard, but at the same time, you have to know life continues to move forward and it doesn’t really stop for you. So being in a negative place, it’s like, you only live one life, so why be negative about things, you know? Maybe this is something to bring my family closer together, to bring me and my brother closer together.”

“Yes, it hurts. But at the same time, if you sit and dwell, you’ll miss the good things. You have to keep going.”