LAHAINA, HAWAII: A man has shared his heartbreaking story of being one of the victims of the Hawaiian wildfires, that reportedly claimed at least 53 lives and made thousands homeless.
Shawn Dougherty from Lahaina also had to leave his house to save his life after the disaster began to unfold on Tuesday, August 8.
The man told ABC News that there came a point when the only solution was to take a plunge into the sea to be safe. So he and his girlfriend took the dive into the water.
‘The water was just really rough’
He said, “At one point, it seemed like I might drown. I'm a good swimmer, but the water was just really rough because of the wind and the turbulence.”
However, the situation got more unfavorable when he returned to the shore. “I couldn't even make it across the street because the pavement was so hot. And now I have second-degree burns on the bottom of my feet," Dougherty revealed.
‘I'm so scared’
Eventually, he was transported to the hospital on Wednesday for medical care by firefighters. But he has not seen his girlfriend after getting out of the water.
Dougherty added, “I've got to find a way to procure a phone so I can start making contacts with people and find my beautiful girlfriend. I'm so scared.”
Who is Shawn Dougherty?
Not much is known about Dougherty, except that he is the survivor of the disastrous wildfire, responsible for taking down most of the resort town of Lahaina. Another resident of the historic town, Kelley Chapman’s house and store, both burnt down.
She told PEOPLE, “We got our house and my store [on] the exact same day, and we lost it [on] the exact same day. It was pretty wild.”
“My husband wanted to leave instantly, and I tend to think I can be a warrior and there were some people saying we're going to stay and fight with the hose. My husband finally grabbed me and shook me and he said, 'Kelley, we are leaving right now,’” Chapman added.
What did authorities say?
President Joe Biden reportedly made a statement, saying, “Our prayers are with the people of Hawaii, but not just our prayers, every asset we have will be available to them. They’ve seen their homes, their businesses destroyed and some have lost loved ones and it’s not over yet.”
Adam Weintraub, a spokesperson for Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, reportedly said, “We are still in life preservation mode. Search and rescue is still a primary concern.”
And, Governor Joshua Booth Green added, “Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down. We are heartsick.”
