Hi, my name is Hailey, and I am from Honolulu, Hawai'i. This past summer, my cousin Brandie unexpectedly lost her mother, my Aunty Brenda. She has no siblings and is single, so Aunty Brenda was her best friend and her everything. Three days before the Lahaina wildfires claimed her childhood home, my family and I gathered together one final time for a celebration of Aunty Brenda's life. Little did we know that would be the last time any of us would see Aunty Brenda's house, my cousin Wendy's house, and my Great Grandma Wong's house standing.

Not only had Brandie lost her mother, but the fires had taken her childhood home, every memento and photograph of her mother, and even their dog Bailey. Brandie was able to escape the fires with only the clothes on her back and Aunty Brenda's urn. Since the fires, my family has helped Brandie and some of our other Lahaina cousins with funds for new clothes, toiletries, and other essentials, but I am reaching out to try and help Brandie to rebuild her home. She feels extremely alone, having lost two of her loved ones this past summer, and I hope to remind her that she does not have to face these tragedies by herself. The funds raised here will go directly to Brandie and the rebuilding of her home—to help support her financially as she works to put the pieces of her life back together.

UPDATE: We are so incredibly grateful to everyone for showing us so much love and support in just 12 hours! Let’s see if we can continue to help Brandie out❤️ Mahalo to everyone for taking the time to read her story, share, and donate. Brandie was so overwhelmed by all the support everyone has shown her, and she feels so loved after seeing how much people have come together for her.