'Surreal': UCLA Freshman Personally Affected by Los Angeles Fires

It's been just over seven months since wildfires ravaged through most of Los Angeles County, claiming the lives of many and destroying thousands of buildings.

One UCLA freshman, Cole Cogshell, was personally affected by the Eaton Fire, which ran through Eaton Canyon and Altadena, and destroyed a childhood family house. Cogshell reflected on the embrace of his Bruins coaches and teammates at the time.

"I was sitting in my apartment in Laurel, and I just seen fires, like, smoke outside my room," Cogshell said in the latest 'Chasing Saturdays' UCLA football episode. "I checked the group chat the me and my family is in. I heard that [the] fires was up there.

"We didn't really know when the news was going to get to everybody about the houses that burned down or not, but, I believe two or three days later, they told me that my grandpa's house was burned. And that was the house that I grew up in since I came to California, Pasadena. We're originally from Houston.

"It was kind of crazy and surreal, honestly, to see something go away that quick. You don't know when something's going to happen. Someone or something can be here for one second and be gone the next, so, you've got to really value your time with that thing or with that person."

Cogshell then added how surprised he was at the overwhelming support he received from everyone, including direct help to his family from Bruins coach DeShaun Foster.

"I didn't really have everybody's contact saved yet," he said. "But, my phone was just getting flooded with a bunch of messages and supporting messages and I thought it was cool how my teammates supported me. And I just got here, too. I had only been here for, like, two weeks at the time.

"Definitely was a surreal feeling of them doing that to me, too. Coach Foster helped my oldest brother out too, and my grandpa by giving them some clothes and stuff. It was really cool that they did that.

Efforts like this are another example of Foster changing the culture in Westwood ahead of his second season at the helm. Cogshell, one of UCLA's two incoming four-star freshmen, is prepping to become part of the future.

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Read more on UCLA football and their momentous second season in the Big Ten and under DeShaun Foster here . While you're here, check out all things UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin improving the Bruins through the transfer portal  here.

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