I know I just posted about the fire relief and grief, but Danyelle brought up a frightening truth I struggle with. The winds were so destructive the morning of the fires, and power was out in different parts of the island. Keiki were not in school as a result. Were they home alone while their parents were at work? Would they know what to do during an evacuation even if there had been warnings? Will there be kids found in what is left of houses? Sad stories of people in the ocean with little ones. The water was rough. Too many couldn’t hold on. What about the Kupuna – the older folks who couldn’t get out? I have seen stories of heroes who tried to save Kupuna. One man got a lady out and stayed behind with four neighbors too fragile to accompany her. He could not leave them to die alone, so he perished with them. Another man carried an older woman on his back. These are just two accounts of the reality of how terrifying and traumatizing it was and continues to be. My daughter Brie and my hanai daughter Danyelle are exhibiting classic symptoms of PTSD, Lack of appetite, trouble sleeping, anxiety, racing, disorganized thoughts, short fuses, and the struggle to make even simple decisions. They are just two of the thousands who must be dealing with PTSD. There are not enough resources on the island to help. I encourage everyone to sign up for telehealth when the numbness wears off.
A close friend who loves Maui and owns a condo on the West Side re-posted someone else’s comments about locals wanting the island closed to tourism but that the island is dependent on tourism. The writer whined about losing bookings for their rental property and said that not all parts of the island were damaged by the fire, etc. I went off a bit about people staying away until Maui is ready. The activities and attractions on the side of the island that were essentially the island’s economic backbone are destroyed. The residents are homeless, jobless, carless, suffering from PTSD, and still too numb to figure out what they will do next. How can anyone expect these folks to welcome tourists? To serve visitors with a smile and aloha when they are devastated inside? To see people enjoying their vacations when coping with the tragic mass deaths, destruction of our town, and the uncertainty of futures lost in 17 minutes. There are those creating division and finger-pointing for sport or political gain. Headlines screaming that Maui wants visitors to stay away, blah blah blah. Those alleged news outlets make my blood boil. They couldn’t figure out how to advance the story, so they resorted to supposition and manufactured problems. The survivors are not involved in this circus because the numbness hasn’t worn off yet, and they are still grateful to be alive. But, c’mon, stay away until Maui is ready. When will that be? I don’t know. But they are still recovering bodies, attempting to ID the ones who have been found, and trying to find 1300-1400 missing people.
Please show some respect and patience. Because it is way too soon to debate when Maui will be ready for those who are upset because they are losing money. My short fuse and lack of sleep could be a consequence you might experience. You might be of lost money but Lahaina Town’s survivors lost everything.
Mahalo,
Shirley
PS I don’t care if you think I am being preachy. I stand by my words.
YES !!
K..