The state of Hawaii experienced a truly devastating tragedy this past week, as wildfires hit the island of Maui. A considerable amount of damage has been done to the beautiful community and, sadly, there’s a significant death toll, with others left displaced. In the aftermath, those who live in the community have seemingly come together in reckoning with the unfortunate situation that’s befallen their home. They’ve also received support from those who’ve donated towards the relief efforts. Another person who’s doing their part is none other than Dwayne Johnson, who used to live on the island and is a proud Hawaiian. And with that pride for the state, he took to social media to share an emotional message following the fires.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson lived in the Aloha State for a while during his youth, before he and his parents left in 1987 after being evicted from their apartment for not being able to pay rent. Since then, the lovely location has still held a special place in the A-lister’s heart, and he still frequently pays visits. He posted about his ventures with excitement in the past, but his latest Instagram post had a more somber tone. Johnson was incredibly candid when addressing fans in a video, explaining that he’s “heartbroken” over this tragic turn of events:
I know that by now, all of you around the world have seen the complete destruction and devastation that has hit our Hawaiian islands, our island of Maui. And I’m completely heartbroken over this, and I know all of you are, too. Everything that I’ve seen transpire over these past couple of days, everything that continues to transpire – hour by hour, minute by minute – it’s all heartbreaking. Thank you guys around the world for all of your love and your support, your light, your prayers. Thank you for sending them to the islands of Hawaii, the people of Hawaii.
The 51-year-old entertainer also explained that he’d been speaking with officials and organizations and promised his followers that he’d get more information as it becomes available. He also shared a link in his bio that allows people to contribute towards the relief efforts. The superstar’s post, which also includes photos from the famed city in the wake of the fires, includes a passionate caption as well:
Heartbroken but our faith and mana is strong. First responders, health care teams, hotels, locals businesses, boots on the ground organizations and all our local heroes, stay strong – we love you and appreciate you. All our local families, our ohana, our aiga, stay strong thru this devastating time. Resilience resolve is our DNA. Our ancestors are in our blood. This is who we are. This is what we do. I love you. Stay strong.
One truly can’t understate just how important the state of Hawaii is to The Rock. The former athlete shoutouts his island roots almost any chance he gets, and it’s always been wonderful to see. He’s talked about the good times while also humorously reflecting on his youthful misadventures like when he used to steal candy bars from a 7-11. (Don’t worry, the star has found ways to pay back the establishment.) Those missteps aside, he’s also had plenty of great moments there, including his secret wedding to Lauren Hashian in 2019.
His passion for the place has poured into his professional endeavors as well. Years ago, Dwayne Johnson was candid about the importance of filming Jumanji sequels in Hawaii. Not only did those experiences give him a chance to further delve into his Polynesian culture but also create jobs for the local economy. He’s also eager to continue to do that with the announced live-action Moana movie, as Johnson seemed to suggest as much when teasing production on the film.
As of this writing, the death toll of the Maui wildfires has reached over 90, per CNN, and it’s now considered to be the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years. It is indeed a truly sad situation and, if there’s any silver lining to be gleaned, it’s that so many people are coming together to support the community and state as a whole. Dwayne Johnson seems to know the clean-up and rebuilding processes are only just beginning and, like so many, I wish him and his fellow Hawaiians well as they seek to move forward.
Those who feel compelled to assist them can donate to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund and/or donate to Maui United Way.