GULFPORT, Fla. — More than 46 hundred miles away from Gulfport, people in Maui and its surrounding areas are experiencing profound heartache and loss, but that pain has mobilized people on and off the island to help one another.
At least 106 people have died following the wildfires in Maui, and only about a third of the disaster area has been searched. That means the number of victims is expected to rise in coming days.
After calling Maui home for years, Sarah Bedell knew she had to help in any way she could.
"Heartbroken. I've just been feeling the pain of all of my friends and family back home," Sarah Bedell said, "We look at the videos and just look at how strong that is. The wind, all these cars are trying to leave and look at the smoke. I mean I can't even imagine sitting in one of those cars with your family."
The videos paint a picture those who aren't on the island struggle to comprehend: Howling winds blow the flames that consumed community after community.
"Everybody was checking in on us because we'd been there for five weeks. Many people didn't know we'd come home yet," Seth said.
But the immediate action from their neighbors, family and friends on the island pushed the Bedells to find a way to get them help.
"We had gotten a few donations via Venmo, and my husband Seth said, 'We should just start a GoFundMe and see how much we can raise," Sarah said.
They raised almost $25,000 in a matter of days. Food and water were the greatest needs of people on the island, but that quickly changed.
"Now we're buying gasoline and medical supplies, packing bags, and toiletries, you know, things that the people aren't getting from another source, that's coming from us" Seth said.
It's all distributed by their friends on the ground. Diapers were distributed today, and now the focus is safety. Hazmat suits, masks and sifters will be distributed to people who are being allowed to go back to their homes next.
"We have hit pockets of communities where people are in need specific families that we are guided to. We are so blessed, and we are more than happy to do it. It seems like just an innate thing for us to do," Saha Vandyke, Sarah's friend in Maui, said over the phone.
Living there gives them the ability to access the hardest-hit neighborhoods and to drive roads first responders aren't familiar with. Sarah and Saha are on the phone daily coordinating what happens next.
"'Kokua' means to help. 'Malama' is to care for, and with our hearts being broken like this, that's all we can do is to help one another during this time," Vandyke said.
The Bedells can't make it to Hawaii in person right now, but they plan on going in December and helping on the ground. Right now Volcom, a clothing company, has donated fresh clothes for them to distribute. More donations continue to pour in via their GoFundMe. If you'd like to help them you can here.
Below you'll find other organizations the family is supporting and you can donate straight to:
‘Āina Momona: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kokuamaui
Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement, Alaka'ina and Kako'o Haleakala: https://www.memberplanet.com/campaign/cnhamembers/kakoomaui
Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Disaster Relief: https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong
Maui Food Bank: https://mauifoodbank.org/
Maui Humane Society: https://www.mauihumanesociety.org/donate-olx/
Maui Mutual Aid: https://www.paypal.com/donate...
Punanaleo o Lahaina School: http://bitly.ws/RtLx