MAUI, HAWAII: Residents of Maui have spoken about going back home for the first time since the city of Lahaina was destroyed by fire this week. The city's inhabitants disclosed that the disaster's real magnitude is much worse than initially thought.
As per Daily Mail, Todd Hudson, a longtime resident, was among the first to see the effects of the devastating wildfire Friday, August 11, after bringing desperately needed supplies to the historic village where his daughter, her husband, and their two-year-old child resided.
Who is Todd Hudson?
Todd Hudson is one of the longtime residents of Maui, Hawaii, who witnessed the aftermath of the deadly wildfires on Friday. According to his LinkedIn profile, Hudson is a realtor at Keller Williams Realty Maui.
As per his bio in the profile, Hudson assists people "in the important process of buying or selling real estate on Maui" and is "well qualified to represent your best interests in any of Maui’s unique areas."
Hudson worked in the banking and lending sectors for 15 years and was the youngest licensed loan officer in Illinois when he was 19 years old. He currently works for KW- Island Living in the international luxury division.
Hudson has a special affinity for Hawaii islands which began as a youngster on family vacations. Hudson, who moved to Hawaii in 2004, and his wife Kathy have been married for 23 years. They share two daughters together.
Referring to his love for the island, Hudson wrote, "What sets me apart is my appreciation that the decision to buy or sell Maui real estate is a family milestone."
"We’ve come to know the island deeply and understand the nuances of its different neighborhoods and communities," Hudson continued in his bio.
Hawaii wildfires: 'Worse than you could ever imagine'
Hudson described the devastating scenes as residents started coming back to their homes on Friday for the first time since wildfires that have killed at least 89 people turned large portions of the old town into a hellscape of scorched rubble.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail, he said, "It's worse than you could ever imagine. It looks like a war zone. Everything is gone."
His daughter Alyssa Sullivan, her husband Kevin, and their two-year-old son Rome fled in their car as flames devoured their home just minutes after they had left, narrowly escaping death.
The incident exposed how poorly prepared the area was for a catastrophe of this scale. The calamity is the deadliest US wildfire since 2018.
While traveling through the formerly bustling tourist destination, Hudson recorded extensive video of the aftermath and further stated: "There was no warning. No sirens. No cell phone alerts. Nothing."
"People were left to fend for themselves. There was nowhere to go. There was nothing put in place to prevent what happened," he continued. He also claimed nothing had been done to avoid what happened and that there were only 100 firefighters on the island of Maui.
There are many elderly people living in Lahaina, and Hudson sadly revealed that the Senior Citizen Home's tenants might have been there when it caught fire.
He said, "There were dozens and dozens of people who had no other choice but to jump into the water where they remained for up to eight hours waiting for help. Many more perished than survived."
Hudson stated that there is a severe housing scarcity on the island and expressed his hope that the destruction will shake up the infrastructure and its stagnant housing policy.
GoFundMe for Lahaina fire victims
Many GoFundMe pages have been established in the meantime, including one for the Sullivan family, who are photographed holding their infant son.
The fundraising page shows Hudson's daughter and her husband holding their infant and reads: "On August 8, 2023, Kevin, Alyssa, and Rome Sullivan lost their home, 550 Waine'e Street, and all of their possessions in the devasting Lahaina wildfire."
"They had only minutes to flee from the fire that was quickly spread by 70 MPH hurricane winds. In their haste to escape, they were unable to save their beloved cat, Willow," it adds.
Urging for financial aid, the page continues: "While they are grateful to have escaped with their lives, they do not have insurance to cover their losses. Kevin owned a successful surf school but lost all of his boards and equipment in the fire."
"Like so many Maui families devasted by this disaster, the Sullivans are faced with huge financial challenges. Please help them get back on their feet," it adds.
