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This story is about Elizabeth Mae Hendroff, a Malaysian content creator and cosplayer whose life was turned upside down by the Putra Heights gas explosion.
Ms. Elizabeth was kind enough to sit down with IRL Malaysia and recounts the harrowing terror of the moment of the explosion, the painful aftermath, and how she’s moving forward after losing almost everything.
IRL: Can you take us back to the exact moment of the explosion?
Elizabeth: I can’t recall if I heard the explosion since I was asleep. When I woke up, all I remember seeing was pieces of the roof dropping. That’s when I started feeling scared.
I ran out in only my pajamas and slippers – which got lost halfway in the panic. The only thing on my mind at the time was the safety of my parents and dog.
Images taken from AniManGaki Official Facebook page.
IRL: How did you and your mother find each other after getting separated in the chaos?
Elizabeth: When my mum and I ran out, there was literally no one else around. The road was deserted. I was quite confused, I thought, “Why is no one else escaping?!?!” Later on, we discovered we were indeed the first ones to run and escape. Somehow, we got separated.
I went to where all our fellow neighbours were grouping up and waited for my mum. It turns out that she had gone back to our home to find me, and she fell and got injured.
IRL: How is she doing emotionally and physically? What about you?
Elizabeth: She’s still in the hospital… and honestly, being stuck in bed, not able to move around — it’s been super tough on her. Her burns still haven’t fully healed yet, and she’s had to go through multiple surgeries.
Every time I see her like that, I feel so bad. She’s always been this active person, so being like this really affects her. I just want her to recover quickly and for everything, everyone to feel okay again.
IRL: How are you navigating your recovery, after losing almost everything?
Elizabeth: Physically, I’m still healing. My leg still hurts, and there are days where even moving around feels exhausting. I’m just taking it day by day. But it’s not easy. People always tell me, “You’re strong, you’ll get through this,” and I get where they’re coming from, but it’s really, really hard.
Losing all our belongings has honestly been the hardest. Every single day I miss my room, my house, all my stuff. I think about it constantly: I’ll wake up and still be in disbelief that this even happened. Everything I once owned… it’s just gone.
I think I’m doing a bit better than before. At least now I keep reminding myself that we’re all still alive and that’s the most important thing.
IRL: Has this experience changed your outlook on life, safety, or what matters most?
Elizabeth: I can’t exactly say for sure but one thing I do know is, next time anything happens, I want to make sure everyone in the family sticks together. That’s what matters most.
After losing everything, it really hit me that some things can be replaced — but not the people you love. Family comes first.
IRL: Can you describe what it felt like returning to the house afterward and seeing everything destroyed?
Elizabeth: The moment I stepped in, my mind went blank. It felt like my brain couldn’t process what I was seeing. None of it matched up with my memories of what used to be there, in the different rooms and places around my home.
Every time I go back to the house, I can’t help but think, “It feels like just yesterday mum was in her room watching her movies, dad was in the living room watching TV, and I’d be there too… either with them or in my room.”
And now… it’s just empty. I haven’t fully accepted it yet. I don’t know when I will. It is taking me time to process all of it.
IRL: What were some of the most sentimental items you lost that hurt the most to part with?
Elizabeth: Stuff that held memories from when I was a kid—like my school uniforms, photo albums, little things I kept over the years that reminded me of happy moments. My favourite pillow that I’ve had since forever… It sounds small, but it really meant a lot to me. I lost my files too—photos and videos that went back years. I can’t get those back.
I also had gifts from my family, friends, even supporters… things people gave me out of love and support. All gone. My merch collections, all the stuff I bought during my overseas trips—those were things I saved up for and was really proud of. It’s heartbreaking. It feels like I lost pieces of my life that made me, me.
IRL: Your collections and work—from cosplay to digital files—were all lost. How has that impacted your identity and creative pursuits?
Elizabeth: Cosplay was a big part of my identity and something I truly enjoyed doing, so losing everything—from my costumes to all the props and materials—felt like losing a part of myself. I do want to slowly start again once I recover, but I know it’s going to take time.
As for my collections… I used to love collecting merch as it made me happy. But now, after losing it all in one go, I feel scared to build that up again. Like what if something like this happens again? The fear’s definitely there.
IRL: How has community support—whether from neighbours, friends, or strangers—helped you through this time?
Elizabeth: Honestly, it’s helped quite a bit. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in any way. There’s so many people I don’t know how I’m going to reply to all the comments, or even send a thank you.
I’d like to take this moment to thank bomba who rescued Chloe, and the team at Yeoh Vet for stepping in to rescue and take care of my dog. We were separated and my family thought the worst until they contacted us with the good news.
Also a big thank you to the AniManGaki team who have called on the wider ACG community to support me and my family in our rebuilding efforts.
For now, I’ve managed to get the basics and replace a few things that I used to own. Those small comforts make me feel a bit more like myself again. It might sound simple, but all those little gestures really gave me a bit of motivation to keep going, keep taking tiny steps forward. My family feels the same way. We’re truly grateful.
IRL: How has the experience affected your family relationships? Have you grown closer?
Elizabeth: We’ve always been a close family, but after what happened, I think that bond just became even stronger. Everything we’ve gone through—it just reminded us that at the end of the day, what truly matters is that we’re all still here. We’re alive. We’re safe. That’s already more than enough to be thankful for. Right now, we’re focusing on healing, on supporting one another, and on taking things one day at a time. We’ll get through this together.
IRL: How would you like people to remember your story?
Elizabeth: As a person, I’ve lost a lot of irreplaceable things that I can never get back, tied to happy memories and my identity. This is my rock bottom, but my family is safe. I will be starting over and hopefully will build something better.
Survival, Strength and Starting Over.
Elizabeth’s story isn’t just one of loss—it’s one of survival, strength, and starting over. Living literally around the corner from the site of the disaster, she awoke to fire, chaos, and a fight for survival.
In the ashes of what used to be her home, she continues to stand tall, navigating grief with honesty and holding space for hope, even when it feels far away. The road to rebuilding is long, but she’s walking it—step by step—with quiet resilience and a heart full of memories that no fire can take away because her family is safe.
If you would like to support Ms. Elizabeth and her family’s efforts, please scan the QR code below to make a donation:
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