Oprah Winfrey visits Maui wildfire survivors: 'You do whatever you can'

Karen Butler
·2 min read
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Oprah Winfrey attends the premiere of "The 1619 Project" documentary at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on January 26. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
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Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Media mogul Oprah Winfrey was in Maui this weekend to visit those whose lives were devastated by last week's wildfires.

"What this week has taught me is when you don't know what to do you do whatever you can. I went to visit one of the big shelters here at the War Memorial," Winfrey, who has a home in Maui, said in a video posted on Instagram Sunday.

"At some point, I will make a major donation after all of the smoke and ashes have settled here and we figure out what the rebuilding is going to look like."

Winfrey praised Hawaiians for their strength and devotion to family.

"You're going to see a lot of phoenix stories rising from the ashes here," she added.

Burnt cars and houses are the only remains after a wild fire swept through a neighborhood in Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 11. Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE
Burnt cars and houses are the only remains after a wild fire swept through a neighborhood in Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 11. Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE

The official County of Maui Facebook page confirmed Winfrey stopped by to show her support.

"Oprah was able to visit our shelter and we thank her for instructing media journalists and camera crews to remain outside. We welcome Oprah to continue to uplift our community's spirit and give her aloha to victims of the tragic disaster," the local government said.

Oprah Winfrey, recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award, appears backstage during the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 2018. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Oprah Winfrey, recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award, appears backstage during the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 2018. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

"Her visit inside of the shelter today was truly heartwarming and we appreciate her understanding of our policy of having no camera crews or reporters accompanying dignitaries and celebrities in our emergency shelters."

Media reports earlier in the day said Winfrey had arrived with a CBS News crew at the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku, but that none of them were allowed inside.

Wildfires are erupting across multiple Hawaii communities due to Hurricane Dora's high winds. Photo courtesy of County of Maui/X
Wildfires are erupting across multiple Hawaii communities due to Hurricane Dora's high winds. Photo courtesy of County of Maui/X

Winfrey visited the shelter to bring people basic necessities such as towels, sheets, pillows and shampoo as they try to rebuild their lives after the state's worst natural disaster in history left at least 93 dead.

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