LAHAINA, HAWAII: The family and close friends of a teenage boy who tragically lost his life in the Lahaina wildfires have come together to commemorate what would have been his 15th birthday.
A gathering of loved ones took place at Honokowai Beach Park on Maui to celebrate the life of Kenyero Fuentes, who died in the devastating blaze last week.
Fuentes is among the 114 confirmed casualties of the fires on the Hawaiian island. The blaze is suspected to have been ignited by a fallen power line.
Kenyero Fuentes' mom recounts agony
Luz Vargas, the teenager's mother, recounted how her family rushed to rescue Fuentes from the flames, only to discover his charred remains amidst the wreckage.
In her distress, she expressed her feelings to NPR, saying, "Please God, hold him for me. Wait for me there, mijo. Wait for me because one day, I, too, will leave this Earth."
The loved ones of the young boy shared memories at the gathering. The event saw Vargas embracing others, while flowers and signs commemorating Fuentes adorned the surroundings.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign was initiated to cover the expenses of Fuentes' funeral. In a short span of time, the fundraiser has exceeded its original goal of $15,000, raising over $28,000.
The campaign description highlights Fuentes' aspirations for the future and the community's collective desire to provide him with a proper farewell.
"He had lots of dreams and hopes for his future," the fundraiser's description says. "We are extremely devastated by this and are trying to lay him to rest like he deserves."
"There are no words to express how sorry I am for the loss of your son. Sending love from Colorado," one person commented. "Sending all our aloha to this ohana. God bless you," another added.
Family's brave dash into flames to find Fuentes
The tragedy unfolded as Fuentes was alone at home on the day the fires broke out. His classes at Lahainaluna High School were scheduled to begin the following day. Meanwhile, the rest of his family was engaged in their cleaning business at a nearby condominium when the fires erupted.
While others were evacuating, they courageously rushed back into the area to find their loved one.
"Everyone was running away from the flames, but we were all running toward them," Vargas said, adding they split up to try and find him.
"Don't go! The fire has consumed everything," Vargas recalled the events.
The unprecedented scale of the fires has left many residents unaccounted for, with an estimated 1,000 individuals yet to be located. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, with approximately 80 percent of the affected area already covered.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier noted the unprecedented nature of the situation, emphasizing that the scale and complexity of the disaster are unlike anything witnessed before.
"No one has ever seen this that is alive today. Not this size, not this number, not this volume — and we're not done," Pelletier said at a press conference.
"We're still trying to take stock of who was in the area during the fire, who is missing," Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, told NBC.
