Reason why Ben Affleck's daughter Violet wears a mask as she’s spotted hugging father amid LA wildfires evacuation
Violet Affleck - the eldest daughter of former couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner - has this week been spotted in public consoling her father, after he was forced to evacuate his home amid the raging Los Angeles wildfires.
Unlike the rest of her family, however, the 19-year-old was seen donning a Covid-19 style face-mask - though, interestingly, the device wasn't being used for protection against smoke inhalation.
In fact, Violet has been wearing face-masks in public for the last five years for a different reason altogether.
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As we say, Violet and Ben's tender moment of hugging was photographed by paparazzi, after the family were forced to evacuate from the actor's $20 million home as the result of the ongoing fires.
Countless celebrities have been forced to abandon their belongings and flee the area since the initial blaze erupted last week (7 Jan), with some stars even having to endure the heartache of seeing their homes burned to the ground.
Concerned the same fate would befall her dad - who also shares another daughter, Seraphina, 16, and a son Samuel, 12, with ex Garner - Violet appeared emotional this week.
Her closed eyes were visible to cameras over the top of her white face mask while she held her father tight.
As we say, however, Violet has been wearing masks across the lower-half of her face since 2020 - long before the LA fires - originally using it like the rest of the world as a means of protection against Coronavirus.
In the years since, the virus has predominantly died down, with many opting to no longer wear their mask after restrictions across the US were dropped as a result of vaccines being rolled out.
That said, the teenager has consistently worn her mask, and spoken out about why such equipment is vital to her.
In June of last year, the Yale student appeared before the LA County Board of Supervisors, where she spoke about the importance of face masks becoming mandatory in several government facilities.
The youngster revealed she was diagnosed with a 'post-viral condition' in 2019, and spoke to the board about her experience observing the lack of efficiency when it comes to medicine handling even 'minor viruses'.
"Hi, Violet Affleck, Los Angeles resident, first time voter, I'm 18," she began her plea by explaining.
"I contracted a post-viral condition in 2019. I'm OK now, but I saw first-hand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses."
Going on to explain her demands, she went on to say at the time: "To confront the long Covid crisis, I demand mask availability, air filtration and Far-UVC light in government facilitates, including jails and detention centers, and mask mandates in county medical faculties."
Violet continued by imploring the board not to implement face mask bans, implying her decision to continue wearing one is a protest.
"You must expand the availability of high-quality free tests and treatment, and most importantly the county must oppose mask bans for any reason," she hit out in her speech.
"They do not keep us safer. They make vulnerable members of our community less safe, and make everyone less able to participate in Los Angeles together."
Following her 2024 speech, Violet received mass praise from fans, with one writing on social media that the youngster 'shows what brave advocacy for those often forgotten in our society looks like'.
The same X user added: "She didn’t even leave prisoners or the homeless behind. Cleaning the air shouldn’t be controversial. It works for viruses & climate change. Keep fighting & use that name & voice for good!"
Another wrote online: "Go Violet Affleck! What a strong, articulate, smart, brave young woman."
A third added: "Violet Affleck holding it down at the LA County Board of Supervisors demanding mask availability, mask mandates in hospitals, and clean air in all government buildings including jails and detention centers. Go Violet!"
Topics: Ben Affleck, Celebrity, Health, News, US News, Covid-19
Rhianna Benson