Maui wildfires hit close to home for Panthers linebacker, fiancée

CHARLOTTE — Last month’s devastating wildfires in Maui hit close to home for one Carolina Panther.

Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill is from neighboring Oahu. Channel 9′s DaShawn Brown spoke to him about his connections to the island and the efforts to rebuild there.

“It looked apocalyptic how crazy the scene was, I had no words,” Kamu said. “I didn’t know what to say. I truthfully couldn’t believe it.”

It’s been nearly a month since wildfires engulfed the historic Maui community of Lahaina, becoming the deadliest U.S. wildfire in 100 years.

For Kamu and his fiancée, Keely, the devastation was something they could not ignore.

“We were out to dinner one night in downtown Lahaina at one of the restaurants, and that’s where I actually asked her dad if I could have her hand in marriage,” Kamu said.

“Just Hawaii as a whole, it’s a people that are so beautiful and kind and hard-working and Lahaina just embodied that,” Keely added.

The couple has now created the platform, Rebuilding Maui. The site is an outlet where anyone can donate any amount of money, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the people of Maui directly.

“There are no words to describe the heartbreak we feel for our Maui ‘ohana during this devastating time. The worst natural disaster in our islands’ history and the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a...

>> In the video at the top of the page, Brown talks to Kamu and his fiancée about their connection with the Maui wildfires.

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