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Football Ferns captain Ali Riley's start to 2025 has gone from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs.
On January 7, her parents evacuated their Los Angeles home as the deadly fires approached. The next day, they were informed that their house and most of the neighbourhood were gone.
Asked by 1News how she was doing, Riley said: "I'm good, all things considered.
"I'm doing well because my parents are the most resilient, strong, positive people, and I'm so lucky to have them in my life and that we are safe.
"It's hard. I've lost that happy place, and I would go to my family home for that balance," she said.
While trying to comprehend losing their family home, Riley also planned her wedding. Three days later, thanks to the help of their neighbours and friends, she and her husband Lucas decided to press on.
"They said, 'Ali, we are freaking doing this'. When we walked down the aisle, we didn't know how many people would be sitting there,
"We couldn't believe it. There was such an overwhelming level of support. We cried, we laughed, we danced, we drank a lot. To have that kind of love in a time when we needed it so badly it's hard to explain," Riley said.
On top of a whirlwind month, the second-most capped Football Fern has been battling a nerve issue in her leg — the same one that ruled her out of the Paris Olympics.
Her recovery is not going to plan, and she is trying different methods to get back to full fitness. Currently, she's only capable of light running, barely a sprint, and little time playing football.
But if she learned anything through the past few months, football is not the be-all and end-all.
"You're programmed to be a machine, a solider, especially when you have this responsibility as someone as a leader, and we put so much pressure on ourselves. I have to focus on what I can control.
"The perspective I have now is I'm not going to give up, and I'm doing everything I can. I'm only able to run. I'm not sprinting, not doing a lot with the ball.
"I also need to take care of the Ali that's not the football player, and I think mental health and stress and tragedy and all these things."
As she struggles to get back to full fitness, it raises the real prospect of never playing for New Zealand, making the thought of adding to her 163 caps unlikely.
"It makes me emotional thinking about it. Every game, every year, I've played has been incredible.
"I don't know if I'll ever be able to pull on that jersey again. I would love to be back with the Ferns, but I'm just going to take it day by day," Riley said.
