Dying mom leaves grieving son sprawling mythical castle, now filled with her signs

A Los Angeles man is turning his grief into a full-time restoration project, spending his days bringing a storybook Hollywood Hills castle back to life in honor of the mother who left it to him before she died of cancer.Teva Barnea, who goes by @hollywoodhillscastle on TikTok, has drawn millions of views documenting his slow renovation of the turreted stone property tucked into Laurel Canyon’s Wonderland Avenue, a winding street once home to 1960s and ‘70s rock royalty and now known for one of the neighborhood’s most unusual private residences.“My mom left me this home after her battle with cancer.I feel her energy and am so grateful,” Barnea, 30, wrote in one caption.Built in 1931 and designed with the turrets and stonework of a European storybook cottage, the roughly quarter acre property sits across four lots and has been described in listings as inspired by the architecture of Frankenstein’s Castle. The three bedroom home comes with a Moroccan swag chandelier, red sconces, illuminated brickwork and turret lighting, along with a marble steam shower, three fireplaces, heated bidet toilets and multiple courtyards shaded by ancient oaks and bougainvillea. It has previously been listed for short term rental at $16,750 a month, marketed as a retreat suited to “artists, musicians, and creatives seeking inspiration and escape.”For Barnea, the home has become something closer to a shrine.“I wanted to show you what the house looks like as the sun is down and it is real calm and all the lights in the house are off too.

This is the yard, the flowers,” he said in one video, guiding followers through the darkened property.His TikTok biography reads simply, “This is my journey to honor my mom through the home she left for me.”In another clip, he described the strange, almost meditative grief rituals the house has given him.“I can’t quite explain it, but grief turns you into a bit of a bird watcher.Birds often fly right into the house.

I feel it...