"Covered Entirely by Her Dog..." Heartbreaking Stories from the Hawaii Tragedy

3-Generation Family of 4 Unable to Escape Flames
Number of Disaster Victims May More Than Double

The death toll from the wildfire disaster on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA, has surpassed 100. Among them, stories of the victims have been revealed through the media and acquaintances, adding to the sorrow.

Franklin Trejos, known as a victim of the Hawaii wildfire, and his dog 'Sam'
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

On the 15th (local time), Hawaiian authorities disclosed the exact names and ages of only two of the 106 confirmed deceased. However, families and relatives who found the bodies and remains themselves have shared the victims' stories in media interviews.

On the 16th (local time), NBC reported the story of Franklin Trejos (68), who died trying to save his beloved dog. Shannon Weber-Bogar, a resident who survived after coming out to care for her mother living outside Lahaina during the fire, said that her friend Trejos ultimately could not evacuate from his home in Lahaina and died there.

Trejos had lived with Weber-Bogar and her husband, whom he worked with 30 years ago, in their home. Trejos was said to have been very fond of their Golden Retriever dog, Sam.

During the fire, Trejos and Weber-Bogar first evacuated the people around them and then tried to escape. In the process, Weber-Bogar suffered burns because the car would not start, but she barely escaped the flames by breaking the car window and throwing herself out. Afterwards, Weber-Bogar returned to the scene to look for Trejos, but found his body inside the car. He was covering the dog who had also died with his body.

Weber-Bogar said, "There was more of Sam's remains than Frank's," and speculated that Trejos died protecting Sam.

Four members of a three-generation family died while fleeing the flames

Survivors comforting each other's pain in the Hawaii wildfire area
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

CNN and local media Hawaii News Now also reported a case where four members of a three-generation family died while trying to escape the fire.

Their remains were found on the 10th in a burned car near their home. Their family released a statement saying, "On behalf of our family, we send 'Aloha' (meaning 'hello' in Hawaiian) to our beloved parents Paso-Malui Ponua Ton and our dear younger sister Salote Takapua, and her son Tony Takapua," adding, "The depth of our sorrow cannot be expressed in words, and the memories of them will be forever engraved in our hearts."

The story of Carol Hartley (60), a woman who lived on Maui Island for 36 years and died in this disaster, was also shared through a social media post by her sister, Donna Gardner Hartley.

Carol Hartley, known as a victim of the Hawaii wildfire
Photo by AP·Yonhap News

According to Donna Gardner Hartley, Carol Hartley's boyfriend, who lived with her, went outside the house to escape the flames, but they got separated as thick black smoke covered everything and visibility was lost.

The boyfriend called out for Carol desperately, but after they parted, he could not hear her voice. After barely escaping, he organized a search group with acquaintances from the next day and eventually found Carol's remains at their home site last weekend.

Donna Gardner Hartley told AP News, "My sister's birthday was August 28, and she was about to turn 61," adding, "She had been saying until recently that she would retire from work once she turned one year older."

Hartley said she plans to hold a memorial service for Carol at her home in Grand Bay, Alabama.

Lahaina village, the area affected by the Hawaii wildfire
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Hawaii Governor Josh Green said in a CNN interview on the 14th (local time), "The death toll could double over the next 10 days," calling it "a tragedy beyond tragedy."

This means the death toll could approach 200. Authorities explained that during the fire, intense flames swept over Lahaina, burning most of the bodies, making search and identification difficult.