Who was Theresa Cook? California grandmother, 72, identified as first tourist victim of Maui wildfires
POLLOCK, CALIFORNAI: Theresa Cook, the first tourist to be identified was a 72-year-old grandmother from Pollock Pines, California, who died in the Maui wildfires that ravaged the historic town of Lahaina on August 8, 2023.
Cook was staying at the Best Western Pioneer Inn and was last seen near the island’s famous banyan tree at 5:30 pm, around the time the massive blaze overwhelmed the downtown area.
Theresa Cook was scheduled to fly home the next day
She was scheduled to fly home to Sacramento the next day, but she never made it. Her body was identified among the 115 confirmed victims of the fire on Sunday, August 20.
Cook was described as a loving mother of two and a grandmother of four.
She had recently saved up money for the trip to Maui, where she wanted to enjoy “some solitude and rest for herself,” according to her neighbours as reported by ABC 10
She had messaged her family and said she was having a wonderful time and the island was so healing. “She loved it there,” her son Adam Cook told KCRA.
Theresa Cook's children had held on to hope until the news came
Cook’s children, Melissa Kornweibel and Adam Cook had been searching for their mother for nine days, hoping that she had somehow survived the fire.
They contacted the hotel, the Red Cross, the Coast Guard, and people on Facebook, but they received little guidance or information.
Her daughter found that the guests from the hotel had been evacuated but her mother remained missing.
They finally learned about their mother’s fate on Sunday. “It’s a lot to process,” Adam said. “It’s still hard to even admit.”
Who are Theresa Cook's family blaming for her death?
Kornweibel said she did not blame anyone for what happened. “Things happen. Natural disasters happen. We’re human, we make mistakes. We do the best with the information we’re given,” she said.
They also expressed their sympathy for other families who lost their loved ones or were still missing in the fire.
“We know we’re not alone,” Kornweibel said. “There’s so many people missing and so many people have lost their lives, and we’ve never done this before. We would just love any advice and encouraging words and support.”
A GoFundMepage has been set up for the family to help with funeral expenses and other costs.
What is the Maui wildfire death toll?
Two weeks after the deadliest US wildfires in Lahaina which also means "cruel sun," the death toll from the western Maui fire has reportedly reached 115 people, as the number of missing has increased to 1,100.
With nearly 3,000 homes and businesses destroyed or damaged, losses are estimated to be $6 billion, state officials say as per ABC7.