Main fundraiser photo

Lahaina fire - moms home

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08/23/23 The cover photos is moms home, all has been confirmed to being lost in the fires. Thanks to all that have donated, and if you can't help financially, please share and help spread the word

Hi all, my name is Andrea, I am Karen Petersens daughter. I have had a few request to set this up for mom. I currently live in Yuba City, CA and with all the requests, I am creating this fundraiser to help Mom Karen Petersen and her future after losing everything in the Lahaina fire 08/2023.

On Tuesday Aug.8th, 2023 Moms world changed in a way she never could have thought of and in a matter of minutes.... I spoke with mom on Tuesday 1:30 her time, and the hurricane winds were bad, so bad they almost blew her over, I told her stay inside and be safe, she wanted to go exploring, but knew it was probably best to stay home, and she did. Only an hour and a half later I received a call from mom, 2:58 pm her time.... "Dray I wanted to update you, were evacuating, there's so much smoke, and large pieces of ashes flying in the air, we don't know where the fire is, and we havent recieved an evacuation notice but we're leaving." I then started asking if she grabbed anything? Snacks waters, and meds was what they collected, but definitely didn't imagine what ended up happening. We were on the phone for a while, then the call dropped... I kept trying and trying to get through, but nothing. After a what felt like long hour was over, I finally got them on the phone. They were in tears, they saw a man they thought had lost his life, all his belongings had burned down, they were devastated. I then asked where she was and if she was safe. It was mad chaos in the background, I could hear the fear... they stated they made it to the Safeway parking lot, and the fire was across the street.
*Melody was staying with mom to help with her current chemo treatment, as her friends have been taking a few weeks out if their own lives to be with mom to help with her newly diagnosed stage 4 ovarian cancer, diagnosed 05/2023*

Well, with all of us not expecting the ultimately last thing we could have ever imagined, it happened.

Thursday after work I got the call, the girls were alive, and they were ok, they even got a pair of clean clothes and a toothbrush! Hearing their voices, the tears, the fears of all the unknown was heart wrenching... When talking to mom I had to be the one to tell her, I'm pretty sure your home is gone. I described a photo I saw online and the cross streets, and her complex being right next door, I didnt have much hope for her home, but the fact that she is alive is truly what matters...
A few days later all has been confirmed, moms home is gone. She literally had the clothes on her back, her car, and medications...
With mom currently going through chemo, and having no home, finances are going to be rough. For now she's been paying for hotels till today, and will be staying in the hope foundation till chemo on the 23rd, and flying to California with me until surgery in mid September. In Sept, she will need to fly back to Oahu for her surgery and then be determining where her life will be starting over. No matter what she will need access to Oahu a few more times for chemo after surgery... Where ever she chooses Maui, Oahu, or either side of California mom has a lot of rebuilding to do.
Please consider donating to mom's rebuilding of her future. Anything at this point helps as Mom has so much ahead of her! Also please pray for mom and mels future, they have both have a hard road ahead with the ptsd of wind and fire. Pray for all this in maui, as this is such a devastating scary time in their lives.
100% of these funds will be going directly to Mom, she will be using the funds to be replacing all personal items, furniture when finding her new place she can call home, and for travel expenses when traveling to and from Cali for her cancer appointments and temporary housing while being in between.
Karen Petersen (Mom's) address for confirmation of lahaina residence
1047 Wainee St A17
Lahaina, HI 96761
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Donations 

  • GoFundMe.org
    • $503
    • 1 yr
  • Richard Salat
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • Anonymous
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • Jean Bybee
    • $50
    • 1 yr
  • Jessica Thornhill
    • $50
    • 1 yr
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Organizer

Andrea Parker
Organizer
Lahaina, HI

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