Douglas family - Lahaina tragedy

Hi my name is Janet and I feel the need to reach out to all of you. This is my first time putting together a gofundme page. In the past, I have read devastating stories that have crushed my heart and have donated to their causes. Some, I have known and some I have never met. This one is near and dear to my heart.

My stepdaughter Sarah Douglas and her 8 yr old daughter, Adelina, recently moved to historic Lahaina for work. They sold everything before leaving Arizona to make this trip. Sarah became a manager of a popular tourist spot on Front street and was living her new dream. They got an apartment close to where she worked and had begun to make a home in Maui, more specifically, Lahaina town. Adelina was excited to start school soon and they were getting ready for her new experience.

As you I am sure have all read, Lahaina is no longer. They have lost their home, absolutely everything as many others have...and are grateful to be alive. They are having to move from shelter to shelter with no clothes or the basics needed to live.

One of her first messages to be was “ I woke up to the blast. No one would listen to me! That was at 4:17pm. It’s all gone.. the whole f*cling town went up in flames. We were so scared. I can’t believe it.. I am literally homeless.It did happen that fast. It was a blow torch. None of us has any warning. The absolute chaos that took place haunts us. I still haven’t slept. We just ran out the door with burning flying debris beating my daughter and myself in the face. The heat from the fire was so intense! People screaming just utter chaos. The thick black smoke took over so fast we couldn’t barely see already from the debris hurting our eyes. The wind the gas station explosion made it a blow torch. We were torched! Everyone lost everything and some their lives. We were saved by one young man and his cat that took us in his car when he seen us running or my daughter and I would not be here. I’m so greatful to him. My daughter is alive because of that young man. I’ll never forget his kindness. I’ll never forget this day. It went up in flames around 4:17 pm. It all went up in flames at once. It took minutes. Incinerated is the only word you can describe it as. It was 80 mph winds and gas.you could see the palm trees blowing sideways along the road. Trees uprooted… power lines everywhere. Thick black smoke we couldn’t get out of for hours. We just sat in a car begging not to be set on fire and the sound of horns honking at each other to hurry as the fire was right on us.I died inside over and over and over again! Listening to my little girl asking if we were going to die. She said mommy am I going to die tonight are we going to die mommy and just balled her eyes out. We were in our pajamas because we didn’t have electricity since 5:30 am that morning. She was wearing a white tank top and a pair of shorts and was holding her stuffy. It hurts so much. It was literally a perfect place”

They are grateful and so very blessed to be alive, but are without family there. They’ve made some friends and they are all in the same situation. I know there are many in need, and I know I will contribute what I can to those causes, but right now I am so very worried about my family. They are bare and anything that I can do to help ease their suffering I will do.

I am asking my friends, and family to please consider making a donation to support Sarah and Adelina. I wish that I could make their nightmare disappear, but I know that for them, it is just the beginning They cannot return to their apartment and Sarah’s job is gone. It has been leveled.

I understand times are hard for all of us and I’m doing what I can. It’s just not enough. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. If you can’t, please keep them in your prayers along with all the victims of this tragedy. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.