On Tuesday authorities released the names of eight people who died in the Maui wildfires. Among the eight was Theresa Cook, 72, a resident of California.
The Northern California woman had been on vacation in Lahaina when the wildfires broke out. According to family she was scheduled to depart Maui August 9, one day before she was last seen.
“She had messaged us and said she was having a wonderful time and the island was so healing,” Melissa Kornweibel, her daughter, told KCRA.
Cook had been looking forward to her trip to Lahaina, telling friends and family she hoped she would be able to get “some solitude and rest for herself.”
The 72-year-old grandmother was last seen near the Banyan tree around 5:30 pm on August 8.
“I called all the shelters,” Kornweibel said. “We posted her missing. We had gotten a Red Cross representative. We had contacted Maui Police.”
For weeks her family continued their search.
It wasn’t until Kornweibel was able to reach the property manager of the hotel where her mother had been staying and another guest at the hotel that they learned guests had been evacuated.
Several agonizing days later they learned of their mother’s fate.
“It wasn’t a coordinated effort. Just as much as with anybody, they had no warning. They were just left to their own devices,” Kornweibel said. “I don’t blame anybody. Things happen. Natural disasters happen. We’re human. We make mistakes. We do the best with the information we’re given.”
Hundreds of people remain missing on Maui, and officials are begging family members to provide DNA samples to help them identify any remains.
“With those two things if we’re able to capture DNA from a victim, capture the DNA from a family member we can 100% say that, that person was related to the person we collected DNA from,” Steven Merrill, Honolulu Special Agent in Charge, said.
As Cook’s family grieves they ask one thing, “There’s so many people missing and so many people have lost their lives and we’ve never done this before. We would just love any advice and encouraging words and support.”
READ MORE:
- Pilot on family vacation volunteers to fly hundreds of people from Maui to mainland US to escape wildfires
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It is impossible to imagine the level of grief experienced by everyone who has been affected by the Maui wildfires. Right now the best thing we can do is donate, if we are able, and pray.
