Tran Ohana Lahaina Fire Relief

Hello! My brother, Cuong, and I are creating this fundraiser on behalf of our parents, Tom and Tuyen, who are among the thousands of victims affected by the devastating Lahaina fires.

On August 8, in the absence of emergency sirens or any official evacuation notice, my father urgently woke my mother up from her nap and followed our neighbors out of Front Street Apartments - my parents recall how difficult it was to see and breathe with the air thick with smoke and how scared they were. They found safety in numerous shelters in the days following. My heart sank when initially learning of the fires that night through a Facebook post announcing that Front Street Apartments had burnt down and seeing countless comments from people concerned about their own loved ones. Having to watch this unfold on the news and not being able to contact our parents those first two days was excruciating.

While we are eternally thankful that our parents survived this traumatic event, our home and belongings, unfortunately didn't make it. They're currently staying at one of the hotels used as shelters for the displaced for the time being and are being taken care of by incredible community members, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations. We grieve with the rest of our Lahaina community for those in similar situations, those who weren't so fortunate, and those still yet unaccounted for.

After the fires: the majority of our apartment complex destroyed

This GoFundMe is to support our parents as they navigate this difficult adjustment period of securing new housing, replenishing all of their belongings, and coping with the emotional aftermath of escaping the fires. While my brother and I are pulling from our personal funds and actively searching for financial aid to apply to, losing our subsidized home creates a large challenge as it allowed our parents to afford to live in Lahaina for the past two decades. It breaks our hearts to accept there's nothing left of our home, including the priceless family keepsakes and irreplaceable photo albums.

Our parents moved to Maui from Vietnam while my mother was pregnant with me, granting us the absolute privilege of growing up in Lahaina. They moved with little to nothing and despite facing a language barrier and lacking formal education beyond elementary school, they have tirelessly provided for us by working overtime as a stocker at Safeway and as a taxi driver. The community, culture, environment, and opportunities we experienced during our upbringing is a gift we could never adequately repay to them, but initiating fundraising efforts for them is a start.

Thank you to everyone who has provided love and support, either through reaching out or donating - these gestures mean the world to us, beyond what words can express. Please continue to pray for and support the Lahaina community as recovery efforts will continue for years to come. We're hopeful that our beautiful Lahaina will be restored to its former glory.

Sending heartfelt Aloha,

Lily and Cuong