Maui residents remember 101 lives lost in wildfires

MAUI COUNTY, Hawaii (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - This Memorial Day, many on Maui remembered the 101 lives lost in the tragic wildfires last August, including the caretaker at a memorial site that honors the victims.

Lahaina resident Soakai Taufa is a jack of all trades. Before the fires last August, he was a carpenter and a mason. But after the disaster, he became the caretaker of the Lahaina Memorial.

"Before, I was a very busy man. But after the fires, I think to myself, somebody's got to make time to do this," Taufa explained.

It's a site off Lahainaluna Road dedicated to the 101 lives lost in the inferno.

"Last night I was over here rearranging all these pictures here. I have some wood. See right here, it's starting to fall off. I have something in my truck. After this, I'm going to drive inside here and set up my working place back here."

Soakai Taufa, Lahaina Memorial Caretaker

Devoting time

Taufa never met most of the victims, but he still devotes so much of his time to making sure the area is beautiful for them and their loved ones.

"This is not the way they want to exist this thing called life. And they never have a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. And these are our community, these are friends, neighbor, coworkers," Taufa explained.

Joseph "Lomsey" Lara was a father of four, a grandfather of 12, and a great-grandfather of 11.

"My dad was in the Navy. He was also National Guard. So, of course, he'd fallen in a separate situation, but he served the country cut I'm proud to be from Lahaina. I'm proud to be from a culture that everybody helps each other. And I just wish that the world would kind of follow in the footsteps of how we do things here."

Kiha Kaina, Lost Father in Lahaina Fires

For Kaina and his ohana, they hope Maui and the rest of the world spends this Memorial Day honoring the fallen and each other.

"It's a day to remember how beautiful our town was. How beautiful our people are. How resilient our people are cut the heartbeat of Lahaina still is alive," Kaina expressed.