A mother mourns her son, who died in the fires and was determined to protect his beloved home

LOS ANGELES (CNN) – A mother is mourning her 55-year-old son who she says died while trying to protect her home from wildfires in California. She is one of at least 16 confirmed deaths.

Carol Smith’s son, Randall Miod, 55, died in the place he loved most: his home in Malibu. Smith says detectives found human remains at her son’s home. He was the only person in the house who decided not to evacuate.

Smith says Mioda’s house, the only one he ever owned, was his most prized possession. He says he was determined to protect his beloved home and didn’t want to abandon it when the fire broke out.

“He just felt blessed to be able to live in Malibu. It was a dream come true for him because he had been surfing since he was a teenager.” Smith told CNN.

On Tuesday, mother and son spoke on the phone, and Miod told his mother he had a garden hose ready to use. Smith says she didn’t know how bad the flames would be, according to CNN.

“He has been through many such fires and emerged unscathed. I think he thought he could do it again,” Smith told CNN. “Now that I realize how many memories he had in that house, I understand why he didn’t want to leave.”

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office said fires in the area were responsible for at least 16 deaths as of Saturday evening, according to the Associated Press.

The fires destroyed at least 12,000 structures, most of them houses.