Multi-gen family recovering from Lahaina fires

I am currently raising funds for my beloved uncle and his family, the Maus and Rogers, to help them recover from losing their homes and belongings to the Lahaina wildfires. Their multi-generational native Hawaiian family has fought for decades to protect their land for their children and serve the community of West Maui.

We are so grateful that all the family members living on the property at the time of the fire were evacuated safely, and we are now collecting funds to help the Maus and the Rogers rebuild their homes and with immediate needs, including food, transportation, housing, and other essentials while they prepare to rebuild their lives.

One of the many family members affected is Kea Rogers, a Maui native, who became a husband, father and firefighter all in the last couple years. He's been a loyal, kind and hard working son who envisioned raising his family in the same home his parents raised him and his two brothers. On the night of the Lahaina fires, he had just got off work when he spotted the fires on Front Street making their way north towards his home. Hearing the explosions caused by the fire’s advance and having no car, Kea sprinted 1.2 mi home to warn his family to evacuate, knowing they would not be coming back. Jeff and Jan Rogers, Kea and Ashly-Anne Rogers and their infant daughter found shelter in their pastor's house just outside Lahaina. The pastor's household, already housing displaced family members of their own, welcomed the family in for the days following the fires.

Kea and his brother, also a firefighter, are currently still working to reopen the roads and assist in recovery efforts around Maui. Ashly and their infant have been housed temporarily on the Big Island for the near future, but housing after that time has not yet been secured. We are also seeking funds to help him with low-cost transportation between islands, so he can spend time with his family while he helps those on Maui rebuild.

Jeff and Jan have lived on Maui for over 30 years and have been at the heart of the Lahaina community. Jeff, now retired, worked as a substitute teacher and executive director of the Lahainaluna High School Foundation, spearheading charitable fundraising efforts for the community. Jan works at the activities desk at local resorts in West Maui helping tourists visiting the island. She had reduced her workload over the past few years to spend more time with her family and grandchildren.

The family has lost three houses including the old house, originally built by hand by the family’s great-grandfather in the 1920s on their shared land. The fire spared only the porch (lanai) of the old house and one of the old mango trees, which has given us hope that the history of the house and family can be preserved and rebuilt in time.

It is my sincere wish that the family will be able to continue living on the land that they have fiercely loved and served over the past century, so I am asking for your help and kindness in spreading their story to others. Your contribution will help this family preserve their heritage and heal from this devastating event. Lahaina holds a special place in many hearts because of local families like the Mau and Rogers family, and your support will help us keep that Lahaina spirit alive.