Theresa “Terri” Cook.Photo:GoFundMe
GoFundMe
A California woman is the first tourist to be identified as a victim of thedeadly Maui wildfires.
After days of waiting for information, loved ones learned that Theresa had died on Sunday, per the online fundraiser. Officialspublicly identified her as a victimof the fires on Tuesday.
“She had messaged us and said she was having a wonderful time and the island was so healing,” Kornweibel said.
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Theresa’s children “received little guidance as to where their mother had gone” during the “horrible disaster,” but “remained hopeful” that she would be found, according to the GoFundMe message.
Now, her kids are left with funeral costs, “medical bills, home expenses, additional debts and her beloved pit bull” in addition to the heartache that comes with such a sudden and significant loss.
“In addition to prayers for comfort and healing, we appreciate anything you can give to help while navigating this great loss,” the family friend said in the fundraiser’s description. “It all adds up and will make a huge difference.”
The death toll for the Maui fire currently stands at 115, with 27 victims identified, thoughbetween 1,000 and 1,100 people are still unaccounted for.
To help with the identifying process, officials are asking family members to come andprovide DNA samples.
source: people.com
