Kula ʻOhana lost everything to Maui Wildfire

Aloha kākou,

My name is Jenni and I am the daughter of Sweetheart and Joey Mori from Kula, Maui, Hawaiʻi. I, together with my brother, Joey created this account on behalf of our parents. We live on an ʻohana lot that has been passed down 4 generations. My grandparents were flower farmers in Kula, raising chrysanthemum, babyʻs breath and tuberose. My dad took over the farm from my papa and continued to farm until the 1990ʻs.

Mom and dad’s home was our ‘ohana’s pu’u hōnua. They welcomed any and everyone into their home to eat, play music, laugh and play (they had a big yard and jacuzzi!). They opened their home to displaced families who needed a place to stay for however long they needed. Growing up, the house always had extended ‘ohana and friends who lived with us because those are the kind of people they are. They asked no questions and just wanted to be of service.

Mom and dad held huge gatherings for special occasions; pounding mochi for New Year’s, imu for events, multiple family members weddings were held there, including my own, with my baby shower and many many birthdays. The home was filled with love, happiness and a place for respite. We all never thought something like this could happen.

On 8/8/23, the unimaginable happened a fire started in the gulch behind my parents home, triggered by a downed power line due to the hurricane force winds. My parents tried their hardest to water the exterior of the home and the trees/gulch behind the home, but nothing could be done. Electric was turned off at 10:30am. Water was turned off at 3:00pm. They eventually evacuated at 9:30pm with nothing but a pack of clothes and their 7 dogs. The home burned in the early morning hours of 8/9/23. When they returned to the house at 6:00am, they found ashes, rubble, fire and memories burned to the ground. Years of proud homeownership and maintenance of the property extinguished. The ʻohana is devastated, but the silver lining is that everyone got out safe and no life was lost.

Any monies raised will be used for emergency expenses.

We mahalo any consideration for donation.