# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C3n0nyjMpAf
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/72590824-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/e63b549e26.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-02-21T20:02:23.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Red Cross (@americanredcross) — https://gondola.cc/americanredcross

## Caption

For Kathryn (Kat) Smirke, the devastating fires on Maui were a wake-up call to focus on what matters most — the well-being of her family. “Everyone in Lahaina slowed down and is being kinder to each other.”

Kat was visiting her sister when the fires started and people immediately began evacuating. Her son and daughter were home and unable to leave because her son's car was trapped, so Kat and her fiancé drove against the flood of traffic and panicked neighbors to get back to her children.

Thankfully, they all got out safely. However, their home of three years was completely destroyed.

Kat is now going through the lengthy process of recovering and planning her next steps at a vacation rental home. The uncertainty of how long she will be able to stay there or where she will go next is exhausting, especially with being out of work for so long.

“I always have to be the strong one,” she said. “I just want someone else to be the strong one for once.”

Through supporters’ generous donations and our expanded financial recovery programming, Kat was eligible to receive additional assistance. This provided her with the financial help she needed to continue rebuilding her family's life.

No amount can ever replace what Kat and other Hawaii residents have lost, but our goal is to ensure families have a space place to stay and receive the resources and care they need throughout their recovery journey. ❤️

#MauiStrong #DisasterRelief #DisasterResponse #DisasterRecovery #Maui #Hawaii #RedCross

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 282
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- **Comments:** 5

## Credits

No public credits are recorded here. This does not identify who made the post.

## Tags

disasterrecovery, maui, mauistrong, redcross, disasterrelief, hawaii, disasterresponse

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