GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — While Kirsten Matthews was raised in Jenison, for six years she's called a tropical paradise thousands of miles away her home.
"The community here, it's just really great," said Matthews. "Like it's like such a small town feel. You go out into Lahaina town and you see everyone you know, you know everyone."
Planning to stay in Lahaina for only a short time, she fell in love with the beautiful Island culture, made friendships, and planted roots.
However, photos of the Lahaina she loves are now all she has.
"Most places are just flat," said Matthews. "Like even our houses, like there's not even the metal. It's gone. Like, everything is melted. Gone."
The wildfire that destroyed the small town of 12,000 people also claimed her home.
Although she hasn't been able to return to her neighborhood, friends sent her photos of where she used to live.
"My house is completely gone," she said.
Matthews' sister, Kelsey West, lives in Rockford. Visiting Matthews several times, West knows how special her adopted home is.
Now, she said, her sister and others in Lahaina will have to figure out how to move forward.
"My sister, she not only lived in Lahaina, but she had three jobs in Lahaina," said West. "And there, I think at least two of them are gone. I don't know about the third. So that's everything. Like she lost her home, she lost her jobs. And I know that's the case for a lot of people."
For those who didn't lose their homes, finding work is another threat to their survival. Matthews worked as a bartender.
"We are all jobless," said Matthews. "On the west side, even if your job didn't burn down, no one can get over there. And like nothing's running."
She shares the fears voiced by others, that recovery will take years.
"Honestly, like, we're not even really thinking about our homes as much as like we normally would," said Matthews. "All of Lahaina is just gone. Like it's such a special, historic place and all of those things will never be there again."
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