My mom spent most of her childhood in Lahaina, the child of immigrants. Her father came from Korea espcaping after losing many of his family during the occupation. Her mother came from Puerto Rico, where her family had immigrated from Spain. She went to Kamehameha 3 school and Lahainaluna for a few years. While her home was already long gone in Lahaina, she has memories of the harbor and banyan tree. Her dementia has hidden the loss of the town from her despite the devastation shown on tv and in the newspaper. Kamehmeha 3 School was completely burnt to the ground. The Maria Lanikila Church where her baby sister is buried remains standing. A small mercy.
It's hard to fathom the grief the survivors are facing and the seemingly impossible task of going forward.
There continues to be a great outpouring of support and donations, while the grim task of finding and identifying the missing continues. Friends have inquired about how they can help. If you don't already have a charity you contribute to in times of disaster, there are two on Maui that you can consider.
Mahalo
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