Hi volley friends,

    I will be taking some time off from this forum to focus on my well being and my family. A devastating hurricane with strong winds tore down power lines in my community that created a massive wildfire burning everything in its path. My home and all our belongings are gone, my pet cat Cece is gone, and a couple of my family members are still missing. 😭 Lots of lives lost including fire fighters, first responders, and emergency personnel.


    Evacuation was a nightmare, fire on your left and right, visibility was nonexistent, and smoke would eventually enter your car air conditioning unit. People left their cars and opted to walk on foot because of traffic were either burned alive or died of smoke inhalation. Everyone was stranded with no power/service to contact each other.


    I have since relocated to the other part of the island where it is safe for now, but I feel numb seeing videos of what's now left of my home.


    Until we meet again <3


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    Friend, comrade, dude. This is heartbreaking. I'm at a loss for words. I hope you are able to regroup and bounce back as soon as possible. Take care of yourself and your family. Hope to see you back here too 🙏

    This is heartbreaking, it’s been reported in the news here, but I never imagine that it could happen to a friend.... you’re so close to us since we spend so much time talking about volleyball and other things. It’s so sad to hear you’ve lost almost everything...including your cat, Ceci. 😥

    I hope your missing relatives are safe and you and your family remain strong and take care of each other <3

    This is heartbreaking and I am speechless…

    The images I have seen are of incredible devastation…

    Take care of yourself and your family: this is the only priority...

    I hope to see you soon here ... I hug you very much from Italy

    Those are terrible news! Thanks for sharing and making us all aware how terrible the situation there. I wish you the best with recovering such terrible experience. Hope all your family members will be found in good health 😩

    I am sorry to learn your sad news, all the losses. I hope your family members will be fine. Now I know you live in Hawaii. Take care and get back here one day.


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

    Hi everyone, thank you for your kind words. It is really appreciated during this difficult time. <3


    My family are all accounted for, safe and alive. My brother suffering the worst, singed hair and burns on his head, ears, and neck as he went back into the blaze on foot since he had to leave his car in search of me and my farther. He stayed low to avoid the smoke as much as possible and since he couldn't see anything he used the sidewalk as his compass to lead him in the right direction. At one point he picked up a bike to travel quicker passing cars stuck in traffic. He was found covered in soot and ash, but is doing better now.


    My cat Cece is alive!!! I can't imagine what she went through and how she survived, but she's a fighter!


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    Death tolls is at 93, but there's a lot more. Rumored to be above 500s, but less than a 1,000, majority children and elderly. ;( They are asking for people who have loved ones missing to do a DNA swab to identifty bodies.


    The situation is BAD and the media are down playing the realistics. This all could have been prevented had our government been doing their jobs. Earlier that day, a fire at the top of the island was reportedly 100% contained (the fire departments exact words) so firefighters left the scene. The 70mph winds which was already expected as a hurricane pressure system was passing below us reignited that said contained fire which spread straight down the city. No alarms or sirens went off to signal people to evacuate so by the time the fire reached their houses it was already too late.


    The military, marines, coast guards, and cadaver dogs are continuing to be flown in to inspect the land, to search of surviors and recover bodies. They will also help efforts in rebuilding. For the areas not impacted, electricity is hit and miss, no phone service and the water is all contaminated meaning unusable.


    There are people looting dead bodies, breaking into homes, stealing from cars, and even holding volunteers at gun point stealing item after item and the police are denying it saying there have been no calls about looting. Of course there is no calls because there is no service to report these crimes! :mad: We have a whole strip of jelewry stores near the oceanfront and people were going into restricted zones taking what they could find.


    The other part that is upseting are the tourists that continue to fly to the island knowing that we are in a crisis with already with limited resources. Boat tours taking them snorkeling a few miles away from where dead bodies were just floating.


    I can barely get any sleep at night. I have no appetite. I just wish this nightmare would end. Everybody that lost their home, that lost a loved one is in disbelief and are unsure of things moving forward.

    me and my father were going to turn into this street like everyone else had, but after seeing the wind travel in that direction carrying ash and embers I made the ultimate decision to turn the other way. Idk if we would've made it had we stayed in this lane.


    https://www.instagram.com/reel…/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

    bumpsetspike -- good to learn that your family members are safe incl. CC though you suffer material losses. Hopefully days ahead life will recover gradually. Passing the ordeal, getting back to life! Best wishes🙏🏼


    Btw this local news channel has lots of info/videos/photos:

    https://www.instagram.com/hawaiinewsreport/


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

    bumpsetspike wow! happy to hear your family members and kitty cat are safe!


    So you live(d) in Lahaina? I can't fathom what this must mean for you. Do you have friends and or family that live in other parts of the island so you have a place to breathe? Oh my. Best wishes to you moving forward

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    bumpsetspike wow! happy to hear your family members and kitty cat are safe!


    So you live(d) in Lahaina? I can't fathom what this must mean for you. Do you have friends and or family that live in other parts of the island so you have a place to breathe? Oh my. Best wishes to you moving forward

    Yes, that was my hometown, born and raised. My house was ground zero, the center of it all. I'm on the other side of the island where the smoke has not reached. It is safe here.


    Thank you.