'They lost their whole community': How to help a Newport native rebuild after Maui fires

NEWPORT – Monica and Walter Chihara and their daughter lost their cars, houses and all contents inside from the Aug. 7 Maui wildfires.

When Monica Chihara, formerly Monica Casey of Newport, discovered that her siblings and friends in Rhode Island were raising money for the victims, Chihara’s first thought was how to help others in the community, according to Chihara’s sister Barbara O’Donnell.

O’Donnell and Chihara are from a family of 10 children who grew up on Coggeshall Avenue in Newport.

O’Donnell and her other siblings have spearheaded a GoFundMe.com campaign for the Chihara family and friends victimized by a disaster that has claimed more than 100 lives, according to reports.

“Her family lost everything and they don’t know what insurance will do (for replacing items) or if it will do anything,” O’Donnell said during a recent interview .

“They are grieving. They lost their whole community, their friends. Their kids are traumatized.”

O’Donnell and her siblings started off with a $50,000 fundraising goal. After talking further with Chihara and learning about the widespread devastation, they increased the goal mark to $100,000.

As of Aug. 17, they had raised just under $67,000.

Impact felt throughout island of Maui

O’Donnell said that she learned from Chihara that although the Lahaina area specifically was victimized by the wildfires, the entire island is feeling the impact.

Chihara, her daughter, and husband Walter are living with relatives on the other side of the island.

Due to loss of some communication and electricity, all parts of the island are recovering. Walter and Monica Chihara have four children, and three are first responders – one a firefighter, one a member of the Coast Guard and another a nurse. All are working tirelessly to help victims and deal with the trauma associated with the fire, O'Donnell says.“They are shaken,” O’Donnell says of her nephews and niece when they return home from a shift.

O’Donnell’s sister-in-law Laura Casey, of Little Compton, has a relative on the other side of the island on dialysis. His treatment was disrupted.

O’Donnell says that according to reports from her sister, they need gas tanks and solar generators, among other items.

For these reasons, O’Donnell and family have raised the fundraising goal.

What the Chihara family, their friends are facing in aftermath of wildfires

On the family’s GoFundMe page, Chihara detailed the horrors they are facing.

“Our beautiful, historic Lahaina town, that so many have dedicated their lives to preserving, is gone, leveled, flat, from the Lahaina hillside down to the Lahaina harbor, and over a mile wide,” Chihara wrote.

“Not only homes, but schools, businesses, community facilities, churches and more are gone. We are Maui Strong and will malama each other (take care with kindness). We will persevere. It’s going to be a very long road, but we will get there. Your donations will go far in helping our tight knit community get on our feet to start.”

Support pouring in for Chiharas

O’Donnell said Walter and Monica are the most generous people, who will likely do everything to build up their community. They have served as foster parents and also volunteer to help the elderly and tutor children. They have hosted family and friends in their home during their visits to Maui. They’ve even served as tour guides, according to O’Donnell.

Walter Chihara teaches martial arts as well and Monica, who once worked at a hotel in Maui, is known for being a loving and kind person.

“They give. That’s all they do,” O’Donnell said.

People in the area also remember them for being generous, kind people, according to O’Donnell.On the GoFundMe page, kind and encouraging words were left by those who donated.

"Stay strong. The world is rooting for you,” wrote Jan and Ron Wenzel.

According to O’Donnell, Chihara says she and her family “are feeling the love.”

To donate, log on to https://gf.me/v/c/c9sg/support-chiharas-and-friends-after-maui-wildfires

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: GoFundMe to help Chihara family rebuild after Maui fires