A number of natural disasters have unfortunately befallen parts of the United States as of late. Earlier this month, the state of Hawaii faced a serious tragedy, as the island of Maui was impacted by devastating wildfires. Thousands have since been displaced and hundreds of lives have sadly been lost. In the aftermath, many people are showing love to the community, though, including NCIS: Hawai’i star Vanessa Lachey. The actress and media personality got candid about what the location means to her while also discussing the relief efforts that are underway for her second home.
While the star films the NCIS spinoff on O’ahu, she still has so much affection for Maui. She took to Instagram to praise Good Morning America for dedicating a recent broadcast to Maui relief. In a lengthy message, she brought up the Hawaiian term “Kokuna,” which is “a word used to describe the spirit of kindness.” She went on to plead with her followers to consider donating towards relief efforts for local families, noting that she will also be highlighting some stories on her page over the next few weeks. In the video, she also discussed how vital it is for the public to know what’s going on and how to help:
It’s important for us to get word out and educate people on what’s happening now and what’s needed now, and how everyone can be helpful because I know a lot of people want to do something but don’t exactly know how or what’s needed. So it’s really great that you guys are dedicating the time for that.
The Maui fires certainly hit close to home for the Love Is Blind co-host. She moved to Hawai’i with husband Nick Lachey and their kids after landing the role as Jane Tennant on CBS’ latest NCIS iteration, which perfectly pairs with the flagship show. Vanessa Lachey has spent a lot of time in the Aloha State, and she revealed just what she loves about Maui:
You asked me what does Maui mean to me, and it’s such a beautiful question because it makes me think about this place and the spirit of Hawai’i. So I was fortunate enough to get to move my family here two years ago — and our dog — to work for NCIS: Hawai’i. And I can’t put into words the feeling that overcame me. It is truly a magical, spiritual feeling that I felt for the first time that I was home. And it’s real, and it touches you, and what I’m seeing now is a lot of people having little pieces of that on the mainland and all around the world. And it’s beautiful to watch humanity at its finest and to see everyone come together for Maui in ways that we never thought possible.
Vanessa Lachey’s love and respect for Hawai’i has seemingly grown since moving there. It’s likely that she’s gotten acquainted with O’ahu, Maui and more locations while living there. With NCIS: Hawai’i (which is streamable with a Paramount+ subscription) on hiatus due to the ongoing WGA writers’ strike and SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike, the actress has been spending more time with her family and away from Hawai’i, though. Most recently, she was in Los Angeles, where she spent a night at a Taylor Swift concert with her daughter.
However, she did make her way back to her second home. Later in the video, she explained that she and much of the cast and crew from NCIS went through the wardrobe from the series, as well as those of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., in order to raise funds for the impacted community. Not only that, but they also brought over some gas and propane and are sending personal boats to help. And she’s not the only high-profile celebrity to help out, as Dwayne Johnson, who sent out an emotional message after the fires, has been working with the state as well. The Dads alum shared a list of displaced families that fans can assist. You can see her social media post in her entirety down below as well:
It would be an understatement to say that what’s transpired in Maui is nothing short of discouraging. However, if there’s any silver lining, it’s that so many people, like Vanessa Lachey and Dwayne Johnson, are doing their part to help the island and spread awareness. The journey forward for the community will be a long one, and we can only hope that its citizens find peace and comfort.