GOMES Ohana Recovering from Lahaina Fires

Aloha ‘Ohana & Friends,

My name is Tehani Kuhaulua the oldest grandchild of Donna Gomes making this campaign on behalf of my immediate family members who escaped for their lives from the Lahaina wildfires and desperately need permanent housing. As we all know about the horrifying drastic life-changing event that took place on August 8th, 2023. Along with many other multigenerational LAHAINA GROWN residents, we as well have lost everything. Not only have we lost our homes but our family is also grieving the loss of our family backbone DONNA L GOMES. We do not usually ask for assistance. Making a GoFundMe is out of our comfort zone. However, during this critical time, we are in desperate need of anything you can give. Nothing is too small. 

Here is a bit about the matriarch of our family. She was born Donna L. Kahahane in Lahaina on August 15, 1951, meaning as I write this her birthday is in two days from today. She would have been 72 years old. Raised on Kahua Street in Lahaina just around the corner from where she last resided on Lahainaluna Road. The house where she lived for approximately 15 years. However, that house has been in our Rickard ‘Ohana for decades. Many family members including myself have lived there throughout the years. As a child, she played there with all of her siblings and cousins. She would reminisce on fond memories of her childhood there. In later years she retired from MPD Lahaina police station as a POA.

On 8/8/23 as Donna tried to flee from the wildfires that were sweeping through beloved Lahaina she lost her life on Lahainaluna road. Ask anyone who knew her or knew of her, she had a very STONG, INDEPENDENT will about her with the BIGGEST HEART full of ‘tough love’ for the ones she cared about. She’d drop anything she was doing for her 'Ohana. She was always just one call away. Some of her oldest friends know her as “the bull” NO ONE COULD TELL HER what to do and in the end not even the fires. She LOVED LAHAINA and died in the town where she was born, raised and, cared for all her life. Donna is deeply loved and missed by so many. 

Take Care & God Bless us all!

Mahalo Piha,

Gomes Ohana