Ashes to Diamonds Initiative Aims to Help L.A. Fire Victims Heal

By Victoria Gomelsky | March 12, 2025

Making diamonds from human remains is not a new business model. Companies have used cremated ashes to create “memorial diamonds” for years. (Check out this fascinating 2016 New Yorker article on how the famed Mexican architect Luis Barragán became a diamond.)

But a new philanthropic initiative from Eterneva, a memorial diamond company in Austin, Texas, and the celebrity business and life strategist Tony Robbins, offers a new take on the legacy diamond tradition. Called “Ashes to Diamonds: A Piece of Home,” the initiative is designed for families affected by the Los Angeles fires. Eterneva and Robbins have pledged to gift three families with a custom diamond created from the ashes of their home.

“When you lose a home, you lose so much more than just a structure, you lose the anchor to your past, your sense of belonging and the memories that define you,” Adelle Archer, CEO of Eterneva, said in a statement. “With this initiative, we intend to help these families hold on to that sacred space, and preserve a tangible connection to their past while finding hope for the future.”

While the submission period for nominations closed on March 3, Robbins plans to host an “Unleash the Power Within” virtual event on March 16 to reveal the chosen families.

Robbins, together with his wife, Sage, and the Tony Robbins Foundation have pledged more than $4 million to L.A. fire relief and recovery efforts.

“When these wildfires began, I was immediately reminded of the heartbreak my family and I experienced when we lost our home to a fire years ago,” Robbins said in a statement. “I understand that recovering from such a tragedy isn’t just about rebuilding a house—it’s about healing from the loss of a place filled with cherished memories. This initiative is about helping families transform their loss into something deeply meaningful, honoring and preserving the moments that made their house a home.”

Top: Eterneva pendant (all images feature lab-grown diamonds made from the carbon found in hair or ashes)