Mother recounts horror of seeing her son's charred remains after brutal blaze
A mother rushed into the devastating blaze that tore through Lahaina to try and rescue her son.
Luz Vargas had spent the days before the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, preparing for her adopted son Kenyero Fuentes' 15th birthday party. But, in a tragic turn of events, her son lost his life when the devastating blaze engulfed their home on August 8.
While the authorities had not officially confirmed Kenyero's death, he was presumed to be among the fire's victims. On that fateful day, Kenyero was home alone enjoying his summer vacation. As the fire raged, his family rushed towards the flames in an attempt to rescue him, splitting up in the process. Despite language barriers and police barricades, Luz Vargas desperately tried to reach her son.
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A charred neighborhood in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii (AFP via Getty Images)Despite the danger and chaos Ms Varga was determined to reach her son. When the fire spread rapidly, and while others were fleeing, Luz and her family abandoned their car and ran towards the flames in search of Kenyer. She recalled the horrific scene while speaking to NPR: "We just abandoned the car. Everyone was running away from the flames, but we were all running toward them."
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Luz only spoke Spanish, and the responders and officials at the scene didn't understand her pleas. Despite the communication barrier, she persisted in conveying the urgency of her situation. "Please get out of my way. I need to save my son," she told people who tried to stop her.
Luz Vargas and her family desperately tried to reach their son, Kenyero Fuentes (AFP via Getty Images)When faced with a police barricade blocking her way, Luz dropped to her knees and begged the officers to let her pass. When they denied her request, she defied their orders and continued her pursuit on foot. As she ran up the streets towards her burning home, Luz's flip-flops melted from the intense heat. She discarded them and continued running barefoot, driven by her determination to reach her son.
Along the way, a man on a motorbike offered her assistance, giving her a ride to a safer location closer to the fire's edge. Even amidst the chaos, the stranger's kindness and her own faith kept her moving forward. An Argentinian man offered his assistance as a translator, conveying Luz's plea to officials that her son was trapped in their home. Despite their assurances that the area was cleared, Luz continued to push for her son's rescue.
The devastating inferno left debris and destruction behind (AFP via Getty Images)The family then searched for the teenage boy in shelters, hoping he might have escaped. But sadly, two friends later discovered Kenyero's charred body in their burnt home. After a gruelling journey and intense emotional turmoil, Luz and her family finally got to the destroyed home and found Kenyero's remains in the debris of what once was his bedroom. "He was a sweet boy. Mi niño, mi niño, mi niño," the grieving mother said.
Overwhelmed with grief, the family held a prayer-filled gathering at the beach park where Kenyero had taken his first steps. Despite her pain, Ms Vargas remembers her son fondly, describing his humour, enthusiasm for exercise, and love of life. She said: "He really liked to exercise. He wanted to be fit and he'd joke about the saying [in Spanish], that those who don't shower attract more women. 'That's why I get so many girls,' he'd say."
In his memory, she is planning to organize a gathering with a cake and white balloons to celebrate what would have been his 15th birthday.
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