A mother-daughter trip to Maui, Hawaii turned into survival mode as we escaped the Maui fires.
As the plane touched down on the tarmac of Kahului Airport, I felt a mixture of eagerness and excitement coursing through my veins. My family and I had been planning this trip for months, eagerly anticipating the sun-soaked beaches, lush landscapes, adventure seeking activities, but mostly a rejuvenating escape from our busy lives.
Little did we know that our much anticipated vacation would turn into a scene from an apocalyptic movie where we were faced with an unexpected challenge to survive the wildfires that swept across the island of Maui.
It all began on the evening of Monday August 7 when we arrived at our hotel and were welcomed by extreme high winds unaware that Hurricane Dora was just over 1100 kms away. Not thinking much of it, we set our alarms early for the morning to get a good start on our vacation only to wake up to a hotel-wide power outage and an advisory that the pools would be closed due to the high winds.
Our excitement was dampened, but our determination to make the most of our trip remained unshaken and so we decided to venture into Lahaina in search of Halal food options as this wasn’t available in our hotel.
As we approached the Foodland grocery store, my family and I noticed the winds increasing and people rushing in the grocery store to secure non-perishable food items.
Realizing the extent of the situation, I attempted to request an Uber to get us back to the hotel, but unfortunately due to the fires and damage already caused, all the Uber requests were being canceled.
As the situation worsened, we started to ask locals in the grocery store for a ride, but with no luck.
Outside, the air was thick with an acrid haze, and the distant orange glow of wildfires painted the sky with an unsettling hue. Amidst the high winds howling, the Foodland’s store doors were wrenched off their tracks, banging against each other with a resounding continuous thud causing the store to be filled with the smell of firewood and ash. Panic hung heavy as my mom, aunt, cousin and I desperately requested rides from other customers and employees as they all gathered near the entrance, peering anxiously through the window.
My faith in humanity was already low following the COVID-19 pandemic when I personally saw so many people start to put themselves first when push came to shove and not really showing any care for others.
This situation felt familiar and I had no hope, until a woman and her husband with only ¼ tank of gas felt our desperation stuck around to make sure we would make it to safety. They were hesitant especially when the skies turned grey and smoke was billowing all around us, but the couple helped in our search to find someone who would agree to get us out of the danger zone.
Finally, a young gentleman, Brile and his family stopped at the woman’s request. As he yelled to the four of us to “Get in the car, Get in the car” as we ran towards his dark blue Honda Civic he willingly offered us a ride.
As I sat in the front passenger seat with Brile he immediately apologized for the bags on the chair since his hasty departure as the swift and unpredictable nature of the fires meant that he and his family had to make split-second decisions about what to take with them, prioritizing the safety of loved ones over material belongings.
Brile and I recounted stories of his arrival to Maui from the Philippines in 2012 and how we both shared the same sentiments of getting married during a pandemic all the while he repeatedly looked in his side mirror, he explained that his wife and dad were also following behind us in a white BMW and a red pick up truck.
The fires continued to rage all around us and we were caught, witnessing tourists and locals in Lahaina taking cover by jumping into the water or rescuing dogs from the doggy daycare, the sheer screams of horror filled our car ride. In the distance the sounds of explosions including that of the gas station around the corner that was engulfed in flames. We were in the middle of it and everywhere we turned buildings, powerlines, trees and falling embers surrounded us.
Escaping the fires involved Brile being incredibly calm and quick navigating through thick smoke and obstacles of fallen telephone poles and powerlines all the while leading the way for his own family.
All I kept thinking was my own family as I heard my mom and aunt praying to God loudly for us to be saved and protected. I tried to stay calm as I held the door handle with one hand and the dashboard with the other while silently praying to God myself to please save us and allow me to see tomorrow and my husband. I quickly texted my husband while service was still working “Everything is burning. Haroon, I love you, I love you and always will” and shared images to him. In my mind I was preparing for the worst case scenario and ensuring he knew I loved him. Then the phone service cut out.
After an hour of trying to escape the fire Brile ensured our safe return to a Safeway grocery store where he noticed his own father was not behind us. In sheer panic I asked for his father’s cell phone number. I tried multiple times to get a hold of him and I noticed service was still out. Brile and his wife made the swift decision to go back and find his father. In the meantime my cousin flagged down a police officer to ask for a ride the rest of the way to our hotel.
Thankfully the officer took us in his cruiser and explained that he couldn’t drive us to the hotel since all roads leading to Lahaina were blocked but we would be able to walk the rest of the way. We arrived at the police blockade and walked 40 minutes until we reached our hotel.
We finally reached the beach side of our hotel, the salty breeze carried with it a mixture of relief and trepidation. We huddled together, our hearts heavy with the realization that our Maui paradise had transformed into a scene of devastation.
The night was long without phone service and power throughout the hotel. The distant wail of sirens filled the silent void as the flames danced ominously along the horizon, threatening to devour everything in its path.
A fiery glow painted the Maui night sky, panic coursed through our veins, urging us to continuously check with the concierge for an update on an evacuation plan. Using the charging port in the lobby I found myself alone lost in my thoughts. “How are we still alive?, “How did we make it out?” “Does my husband know I’m alive?What just happened? How can we get home as soon as possible?” Questions swirling around as I sat beside other hotel guests found sleeping in the lobby with their luggage beside them.
With the sunrise brightening up the night sky I heard a man say “there is service by the beach”. My only thought was to grab my phone and run to the beach. Switching from the Airalo app to roaming I tried over and over again just to get a signal to hear his voice.
The phone rang and he answered, my heart sank to my stomach. The surreal moment of knowing he could hear my voice was everything I needed. Service was spotty but so long as he heard me say “ I love you” I felt complete and the determination to get off the island became a reality.
The morning after the fire, every second felt like an eternity, every step a leap of faith. With food becoming scarce and limited options available, the adrenaline-fueled our determination, we needed a plan to get home.
With backup generators failing the mad dash up 8 flights of stairs in order to get back to our room to pack everything in sight as quickly as possible. It felt as though someone had pressed the fast forward button. With my mom and aunt illuminating the way down the stairs with a flashlight, my cousin and I carried all of our belongings as we ran back down those 8 flights of stairs passing other hotel guests as they hurried to their rooms in hopes of catching the same shuttle service.
We navigated through the chaos, guided by the brave voices of the hotel staff, who showed unwavering resolve in the face of adversity. The once serene hotel was now a battleground, its walls echoing with urgent warnings and frantic footsteps. With hearts pounding, we grabbed our belongings, precious memories and essentials clutched tightly in our trembling hands. While waiting in the darkness of the hotel corridors for the shuttle service to the airport which wasn’t guaranteed, the sight of flashlights and glow in the dark sticks flickered through as the sounds of children’s laughter filled the quiet hallway.
The first 60 people loaded onto the shuttle service as we continued to wait and then one by one we loaded onto the second shuttle bus awaiting for the next set of instructions before we could depart. The ride to Kahului Airport was about 40 mins from the hotel and along the way the devastation of homes continued to burn, police staff directing traffic as side roads were closed. The thought that we’re finally getting off the island became our reality.
The fire became a testament to the indomitable spirit of both nature and humanity. My faith was restored and further so when at the Kahului Airport officers, airport officials and other passengers were sharing food and blankets with waiting passengers. Seeing these selfless acts reminded me just how altruistic society can be and that humanity is not completely dead. Our safe return to the hotel and onward to home will forever be a reminder of that.
For now our hearts are full of gratitude for the experiences we had shared and a deepened bond that forever tied us to that moment in time, but also the enduring lessons of resilience, unity, and strength that can arise from the unlikeliest of circumstances.
