“You can leave Hawaii, but Hawaii will never leave you,” Hawaii native Sean Sutton said. “You feel it when something like this happens.”
LILLIAN, Texas — Hawaii natives living in Dallas-Fort Worth are watching closely as crews fight fires ravaging Maui.
As of Aug. 10, at least 53 people have died in the tragedy that officials call the worst natural disaster to impact Hawaii in decades. Hurricane winds have blown flames across the island, which was already especially dry.
Search and rescue crews are still combing through damage, likely to find more people injured or dead.
Sean Sutton moved with his family from Hawaii to the mainland in 2011. They operate Shaneboy’s Craft Hawaiian Grindz in Lillian, near Mansfield.
“You can leave Hawaii, but Hawaii will never leave you,” Sutton said. “You feel it when something like that happens. It’s almost like a sixth sense.”
Sutton’s grandfather and cousins are still in Hawaii, safe, but close enough to see the fire.
“That’s too close for comfort,” Sutton said. “First thing I thought about was family over there, for sure.”
Lahaina, the historic destination town Sutton explored as a child, is all but gone. Important cultural sites, including temples and churches, are destroyed.
Airlines, including Southwest and American, have added flights to the islands to get tourists out. Red Cross crews from DFW are standing by, waiting to deploy to Hawaii should officials there request more help.
“The spirit of the people of Hawaii is very strong, but not everyone can do things themselves,” Sutton said. “I do think it’s really important to get the mainland involved.”
Sutton and Hawaiian authorities have directed people to the Maui Strong Fund, which has already raised more than a million dollars.
The Texas Baptist Men organization will also also send food, diapers and other supplies to the island.
Sutton says, with help, Hawaiians will rebuild the island.
“The leaves and trees might be gone, but the bones are still there,” he said.