Community bands together to help couple with O’ahu ties who lost their home in Oregon fire
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HONOLULU (KITV) — One of the deadly wildfires that charred much of Oregon, has left an elderly couple from O’ahu without a home. But people from all over the world are helping them get back on their feet.
Family and friends created two GoFundMe sites to help re-build Phil and Pat Arthur’s home in Talent, Oregon, raising nearly $17,000 so far.
Phil Arthur Jr., one of their sons, said while the family has lost so much, the overwhelming support has reminded of them of what they still have.
“We’re just glad they’re safe. That’s the number one thing. Stuff is stuff. You can replace stuff,” Arthur Jr. said.
Phil and Pat, both in their 70s, moved to Talent about three years ago.
“They thought it was a safe place to retire, until this happened,” Arthur Jr. said.
Last week, their home and belongings were reduced to ash in the Almeda fire. The blaze is one of nearly 90 wildfires that decimated more than 5 million acres along the U.S. west coast.
Arthur Jr. said his parents are staying at a hotel for now, and may likely move in with one of his two brothers who live nearby.
“That’s the hardest part. I wish I could be there to help,” Arthur Jr. said. “But I can’t go there. Plus I’m about to have a baby in 13 days, so I definitely can’t go there and help them.” He said insurance can only offset so much of the cost to rebuild his parent’s home, and he is thankful for those who have offered a helping hand in these desperate times.
“It’s gonna take a long process. There’s a lot of paper work. It could take years to get money from insurance. So this is a good way to start off just to help them get through this as best as they can,” Arthur Jr. said.
The string of fires raging along the west coast have now claimed at least 36 lives.
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