‘Very close-knit community,’ Maui reckons with trauma of historic wildfires
Where lush banyans and bustling resorts once stood, sooty ash and rubble now mottle Maui’s coastal town of Lahaina. The aftermath of burned-out cars and hulking debris, an out-of-place pallor against tropical blues, tells of chaotic final moments in a way that belies description and otherwise couldn’t be told as power and cellular outages still torment communities. But for Linda Nguyen, O.D., and others on Hawaii’s second-largest island, there’s another line of communication that never fails.
“Word of mouth or the ‘coconut wireless’ is a strong, unbreakable signal,” Dr. Nguyen says. “For now, I can tell you the devastation that you see in the media is a fraction of the loss and trauma that the Maui community is enduring.”
Field Notes: Florida doctor recounts hurricanes Helene, Milton
Media reports describe “devastating” winds, rain and flooding as Hurricane Milton makes landfall—how a Tampa Bay area doctor comes to terms with not one but two hurricanes in as many weeks.
AOA Foundation emergency appeal for Helene-ravaged states
In the devastating path forged by Hurricane Helene, shell-shocked residents & AOA members are putting their lives back together.
Change Healthcare Cyberattacks Recognized by OFDR
If you’ve been impacted by the cyberattacks, learn how to apply for a grant.