Floyd Mayweather Offers Aid to Families Impacted by Hawaii Wildfires
Devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui last week left hundreds of families displaced and virtually destroyed the town of Lahaina. However, several celebrities have provided aid to displaced families, including boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
According to TMZ Sports, Mayweather personally paid for 68 families to fly to safety. In addition to assisting with hotel accommodations, Mayweather bought the families food from local restaurants and is working with retailer H&M to provide the families with clothing.
Oprah Winfrey – a part-time Maui resident — also handed out supplies, including shampoo and pillows, to residents at an evacuation center, according to PEOPLE.
USA Today reported that the death toll in Lahaina has reached 93, though efforts to find and identify the dead are still in the early stages.
The fires may also have long-term health effects on survivors: "Ash and dust (particularly from burned buildings) may contain toxic and cancer-causing chemicals including asbestos, arsenic, and lead," according to the Hawaii Department of Health.
Even water is presumed unsafe to drink in some areas.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden ordered “all available federal assets” to support the response to the Maui wildfires.
“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui, and our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses, and communities destroyed,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday evening. “We are grateful to the brave firefighters and first responders who continue to run toward danger, putting themselves in harm’s way to save lives."
Hawaiian-born former President Barack Obama shared his grief about the wildfires on social media last week.
"It’s tough to see some of the images coming out of Hawai’i — a place that’s so special to so many of us. Michelle and I are thinking of everyone who has lost a loved one, or whose life has been turned upside down," Obama tweeted, adding a link to the Hawaii Community Foundation for those who want to help.
