President Joe Biden made a visit to the devastated Hawaiian island of Maui on Monday, taking time out of his vacation schedule.
The island was ravaged by wildfires on August 8, with the town of Lahaina being particularly affected. The fires have resulted in nearly 1,000 residents still missing, while the official death count stands at 114.
Tragically, it is feared that many of the deceased are children who were home alone as schools were closed due to power outages. The President was met with anger and vitriol from the residents, who criticized the administration's response to the fires as lackluster.
During a speech on the island, President Biden, adorned with leis, drew a comparison between the Maui fires and a small kitchen fire he once experienced. He stated, "I don't want to compare difficulties, but we have a little sense, Jill and I, of what it's like to lose a home. Years ago, now 15 years ago, I was in Washington, doing Meet the Press."
He went on to recount the incident, explaining how lightning struck his home, causing a fire that endangered his wife, his vintage Corvette, and his cat. The President expressed his gratitude for firefighters, stating, "The only people who run into flames to help other people...they ran into the flames, saved my wife, saved my family. No joke." He acknowledged that his family was displaced from their home for six months and said he could only imagine the pain of losing a home.
However, it should be noted that this is not the first time President Biden has shared this story. In November 2021, he falsely mentioned his house burning down with his wife inside before correcting himself. In 2013, he also stated that a fire had "devastated a significant portion" of his New Hampshire home. In reality, in 2004, a small fire caused by lightning was contained to the kitchen of the Biden home, with firefighters quickly bringing it under control.
The devastation in Lahaina goes far beyond the loss of homes. Families have lost their children, their loved ones, and may even lose their land. Heartbreaking stories have emerged, such as a mother finding her 14-year-old son burned to death in the remains of their home, clutching their deceased family dog.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green provided an update on the situation, revealing that over a thousand people are still unaccounted for. He explained that the recovery efforts will take several weeks due to the extraordinary challenges posed by the extent of the destruction.
Unfortunately, due to the intensity of the fire, it may be impossible to recover the remains of those who have died, meaning that some individuals may be lost forever. The authorities are working with the FBI and other agencies to assess the missing individuals.
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