Emily Lippiello, Malka Abramoff, Mireya Villarreal, Stephanie Wash and Derick YanehiroFor the thousands of people who survived the Maui fires last August, the trauma of what they lived through still lingers.
"We lost 19 of our neighbors just in this five house radius right here. People that I've been waving to hello to for a decade," Boes said, pointing to neighboring homes. The cornerstone of healing for the Boes family is rooted in faith. Kirk was once angry at officials for not sounding the sirens and possibly preventing loss of life. He said he later found a piece of Scripture about forgiveness in the debris of his home.
Rans' family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state, the county of Maui, Hawaiian Electric, and the largest private landholder in Hawaii. They claim overgrown vegetation on unkept land, aging electrical infrastructure, and the county's lack of emergency preparation contributed to Rans' death. Boes has also filed a lawsuit.
And the housing shortage and lack of safe spaces for those living with mental health issues has exacerbated the problem on Maui, according to Nicole Hokoana, CEO of Maui Behavioral Health Resources. MBHR operates 3 nonprofits that offer mental health services and substance use treatment across the island.
David "Kawika" Mattos' group, Maui Family Support Services Kne Connections, regularly line the streets of Maui and wave signs to encourage residents to talk about mental health and prevent suicide. Mattos also hosts a men's group at a resort shelter to help men process their trauma, but also move forward and to support each other and continue to grow as men and fathers.
With limited resources, mental health experts on Maui are trying to meet people where they are and tailor treatments.