HI: HURRICANE LALA CLEANUP AFTER ROADS WASHED AWAY
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PAHALA, Hawaii (KITV) — “It was heart-wrenching. I got emotional seeing the town that I grew up in,” said Deborah Funai Brown, a Pahala resident.
The heartbreak comes after Hurricane Lala devastated Kaʻū.
“Obviously the worst storm that we’ve ever gone through. We were running around the house that my dad built, so I’m not going to get emotional here,” said Funai Brown.
And that emotion continues throughout the community.
“Everybody helping each other and pitching in. That’s the heart of our community here. That’s the heart of Kaʻū. Literally everybody pitches in and helps each other out,” said Funai Brown.
Residents are leaning on each other, but they’re also getting help from crews working around the clock.
“Throughout all of the mess that you see, we have our workers out here that have been working. It literally feels like non-stop,” said Funai Brown.
“I am extremely grateful that within hours help was started, and, you know, equipment was here,” Darlene Javar, a Pahala Resident.
And that work brings something everyone needs, hope.
“They’re up at the crack of dawn out here, and you hear the machinery, and it sounds like hope,” said Funai Brown.
Those workers had one goal, reopen access.
“The goal was to have access in one day, and that was achieved,” said Javar.
Working on the roads is a great first step; many other steps follow.
“We need your standard things, what you would think of, you know, the gas, the propane, the toiletries. We haven’t had a shower, I believe, in three, four days, and that’s most of us, and we don’t care,” said Funai Brown.
“We’re trying to make light of it now, but it was crazy during the moments,” said Funai Brown.
And while they’re rebuilding their community, they’re choosing to stay positive.
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