Four Generations Loses Home

Four generations, living in one household, lost everything from the fires in Lahaina on August 8, 2023. Mely Garcia shared her home with her daughter Cathy (plus Cathy’s partner, Wally), grandchild Cierra (plus Cierra’s partner, Mark), and three great-grandchildren (Jadyn, Aliyah, and Aryah) with Cierra expecting another by late December. But the fire took away their only sense of place and security. This chapter of their lives, unfortunately, now ends.

It started almost 80 years ago. Feliciano Caldito, Mely’s father, migrated to the island of Maui in 1946 leaving his family back in the Philippines to pursue opportunities his family would never have had if he stayed. Fortunately, his family followed 12 years later.

Around noon of August 8, the family started cooking lunch outside. Cathy noticed a part of one of their trees was on fire. She quickly alerted the family, they gathered all family members and quickly fled for safety. Everyone was accounted for; however, everything was lost while embers quickly engulfed the surrounding area.

Wally’s ohana in Kahana, northwest of Lahaina, extended a warm welcome to Mely and her family. They leave behind a place where everyone gathered…a place called home. Please help Mely and her family start to rebuild a new chapter in their lives.

Thank you for your kokua.