Tim Larson endured a grueling 16-hour wait for news about his family’s safety during the destructive wildfire in Maui. Larson, who currently resides in Calgary but grew up in Lahaina, received a distressing text from his 10-year-old son in the early hours of the morning. Upon discovering the situation on Facebook, Larson immediately called his son to provide reassurance.
Though Larson’s children were fortunate enough to be located outside of the fire zone, his mother, grandmother, and sisters were directly affected in Lahaina. Tragically, their homes and cherished belongings were completely destroyed. “We had these homes for five generations of our family. Seeing those memories vanish is truly heartbreaking,” lamented Larson.
Amidst the chaos, many tourists found themselves desperate to escape the devastation. One such individual, Paul McGreevy from Calgary, and his family were lucky to secure flights back home after their original plans were canceled due to the fire. McGreevy described the scenes at the airport as chaotic, with exhausted individuals sleeping outside and rental car drop-off in complete disarray.
For McGreevy, the situation took an unexpected turn on his birthday, adding to the disappointment of missing a special celebration. He expressed disbelief at the stories he heard from fellow travelers, including an elderly couple forced to sleep in a park due to their hotel’s location within the fire zone.
Fortunately, the McGreevy family managed to escape the area just in time, hours before Lahaina was engulfed in flames. They also found accommodation by sheer luck after their flight was canceled. While the inconvenience they experienced was minor, their thoughts are with those who lost their homes and loved ones.
McGreevy commended the local government and the community for their inspiring response to the disaster. Instead of dwelling on their misfortune, they immediately focused on stopping the fire and supporting those affected. Larson’s colleagues in Calgary have even established a gofundme page to assist his devastated family in Hawaii. Larson himself plans to travel to Hawaii next week to reunite with his children and offer support to his family.
Although the home he grew up in is no more, Larson remains grateful that his loved ones are safe.
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