Im surprised the beach was so empty! Your instincts to leave the car and walk to water proved invaluable! My condolences to all the families who lost loved ones 😔
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
From where he parked to where the video ended. It’s an hour walk. On the streets. So not only did he make the right choice. He continued moving and survived because of it. Nice job
I teach survival courses here in the states for those who find themselves lost and in harms way. Biggest contributor I see in cases where fatalities occur is panic. Panic causes irrational thinking and you can see how it could go downhill from there. You maintained situational awareness and made measured, well-reasoned choices in a dynamic situation. And you survived. Well done brother, well done. Hang in there man.
Regrettably here for a lot of people they died because the police had the main road blocked and wouldn't let them leave . The only people who were able to drive out were the ones who knew the backroads way and a lot of people didn't know that way out ... or weren't able to reach it due to smoke or fire .
@@dougyeefresh87 Getting lost is the most common activity we see panic leading to fatalities. Granted we have to speculate on some of the decisions made by the victim, but generally we trace the mistakes made to panic induced decision making. I used to be a dive instructor and panic was something we taught students to drive to avoid. We used to have a saying for example, if your high pressure hose blows at 100 feet that’s not desirable, and you can stake steps to survive, but if you panic, you will die. The fight, flight, freeze vestiges of our lizard brain are still with us. I do a little bit of defensive firearms training and the same applies. Panic causes weapons malfunctions, dropping fully loaded mags, trying to insert mags backwards, looking for the safety on a weapon that doesn’t have one, etc. Remaining calm doesn’t guarantee survival, but panic almost always leads to bad outcomes. I’m no expert by any means Doug, but the “you panic you die” mantra has stuck with me since I heard for the first time.
This had me in tears. Your calm and awareness was impeccable. Leaving your car and then leaving the dock saved your life. I can not FATHOM going thru that. God's not done with you yet my friend!! ❤🙏 Sending the biggest hugs from Northern California ❤
People are much more valuable than whatever God might or might not find them useful. Please be considerate of what you say, for every person you unthinkingly say "God isn't done with you yet," to, you're implicitly telling innumerable others that their passed loved ones were expendable because "God" had no "use" for them anymore.
Your decisions under duress and instincts were literally lifesaving. This video truly captured the fear most folks there must have felt. The kindness strangers provided you was evidence there is still grace in this world…
Actually his actions were unintentionally foolish. He didn't grow up in fire country, you can tell. You get out , out, out immediately. You DON"T film it. You get out of there fast as you possibly can. I was biting my nails because from the first traffic jam, it was time to abandon your vehicle immediately. I've seen fire storms begin forming across 12 lanes of Los Angeles/ Orange County freeways, make these wild sideways fire tunnels 200 feet in the air, rotating and with the black smoke produced, make "bridges" and go straight over all the cars in what looks like "ground" produced in the sky under the whirling balls of flames, and all of the sudden an entirely new part of town is engulfed in flames.. . It's like watching hell in real time.
Well, I think it’s part of culture these days to document. I would have been peaced out tbh because how fast it looked like the pit of hell but If he hadn’t documented we wouldn’t know true min by min progression. Idk if he is a journalist or just a local resident but journalists have been in the thick of disasters and war and lived to tell. This is horrific and incredibly sad to think of even being apart of this. I think this is going to be with the nation for a very long time.😢
When you ditched your car and then looking back and knowing all those cars where you had been, did any survive or did they just wait and die in their vehicles. You made the right decision. Great documentation
This minimally edited video really captures the spontaneous nature of catastrophes. Just how quickly things can spin out of control in a seemingly safe situation. Thanks for posting this, it makes it easy to understand the horror that these people are going through. Glad you got out safe.
That's standard in a fire, BTW; happened here in Cali as well and it can make the fires very specific with trees on one side unburned and cars on the other MELTED.
There are videos of people being forced to turn back, police barricades, which forced people to head straight towards harms way. @@superstarjohnnyecko The officers were only following orders, but who gave instruction?
All those poor souls that didn't park and go to the water or had no way to go there, shame on those that blocked the way and turned them back into that hell. Thank you for showing us this, as you made your way to safety. Prayers for all those lost and injured. What a tragedy.
@@Voss.R Not true. They were blocking people from getting out. Not just that, but routing people who were close to getting out _back_ into the danger zone. People were instructed to evacuate by car and the police were ordered to block the roads. There were no sirens and the people had no idea how serious it was because they had been told that the fire was contained.
What struck me: 1) The complete ABSENCE of emergency vehicles/sirens; 2) The death toll is going to be WAY higher than the ~114 stated now. Thanks for posting. Glad u made it out! 🙏
@@8188jlpcand nothing on the radio, no announcements, the cops weren't saying which way to go, just turning them in circles and waiting for their demise. Fish even asked one of the officers why he was holding the people there and he said, "I'm just following orders." He didn't say it's too dangerous to go forward or there's a safer route this way, just: I'M FOLLOWING ORDERS.
14:29 RIGHT HERE is where you made the best decision and saved your own life. ❤ Wow. Unbelievable footage. Thank you for sharing this with the world. Officials in Hawaii... the whole world is watching! 🌎
This video should be required viewing for anyone interested in seeing how this tragedy happened. The impossibility of finding an open way to drive out, even when skies were clear and before there was visible smoke, is incredible/frustrating/heartbreaking
You’re ability to stay so calm and collected during such a frightening and frustrating event is outstanding. My self talk would have been off the charts, but you were so calm, cool, collected and silent. Thank you for filming and sharing your survival story.
My anxiety level would have been level 1M also! He really taught me a lesson about remaining calm without taking 20 Xanax. Excellent video on how survival in a dire situation should be handled! MAUI STRONG💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
@@MaginFlaBlueChoice I weened myself off of the horrible highly addictive drug zanax. It took me a yr. I thank God for his grace and His strength that gave me what I needed to get off of it forever!
@@thomaskauser8978 Neither did the people in Newnan GA 2 years ago. Tornado warnings are mediated by news and cycled through insurance agencies to grant them more money. Its' all about $$ my friend. Nothing to it. And its a damn shame on all of us.
WOW!! Thank you Jonathan for sharing with us what it was like on that day. I have always loved Maui and Lahaina and have family living there. I now feel, in some small way what you all were going through. So happy you made it out and all our Brothers and Sisters are safe. Thank you again for giving us a glimpse of what it was like to be there. Our prayers are with you as the cleanup and recovery begin. Mahalo
How eerie seeing people on the streets not knowing that their home, workplace, hometown, vacation destination, etc - or even they themselves - were moments from being annihilated. Thank you for sharing this and may God bless and uplift all those affected by this horrific tragedy.
It's this exact realization.of how fragile I truly am or how it can be over so fast and I won't even know that I ever once existed is what I try and hold onto to truly feel alive.
I know 😔that’s what gets me the most.. aside from the incredible anxiety I felt for this man up until about the 20 minute mark or so. Incredibly heartbreaking and may all the hundreds (if not more) of souls rest in peace 🥺💔😔
Excellent reminder to listen to your gut and not wait for “authorities” to guide you! I am so glad you had a happy ending. I hope everyone you know is safe
I am SO SORRY for the devastation you suffered. A survival story. Thk you for your candor and allowing us to see what you went through. You've brilliantly captured what so many people had to do to make it through. Bless you.
This footage is the most comprehensive of what happened. Thank you for recording and sharing. At times, I almost felt like I was watching it live. Surreal. Haunting. You kept SO CALM...wow! Amazing video. I'm so sorry that you became a movie maker under such harrowing circumstances 😔.
Камерамэны - они все такие. Пойдут на любой риск ради эффектных кадров. Я помню, когда были теракты 11 сентября в США, и небоскрёб рухнул, все в панике бежали оттуда, кроме одного парня с видеокамерой, который бесстрашно двигался прямо на клубящуюся стену пыли и дыма. Это меня впечатлило. 👍
This has me in tears. I can’t imagine the fear and panic you endured… yet you stayed calm, made extremely smart decisions, and caught it all on tape. I thank God you are alive and reunited with your beautiful family. Much Aloha.🤙🏼
This makes my heart weep. If only we knew what was about to happen, all the lives that could've been saved. I watch and wonder which of these people in your video perished and which survived. I am glad you made it out. Thank you for sharing your video. Little did you know you were recording history.
@@20team73 believe me , the numbers are much higher because two days after the fire when they were saying 57 were dead someone who has a channel said his friends were told by First Responders they had already counted over 400 perished and that there would be many more .
I'm just in awe how calm you were documenting this all on video. What's very interesting about the video is you show how making the right choices as you logically think things through can be the big difference between life and death in this horrible situation.
@babskaz74Huh, that’s a weird way to spell “Cyclone Dora dozens of miles offshore to the south along with a low pressure system drawing air in from the north.”
@@jockoharpo2622 There was a low pressure system north of Hawaii pulling in air. And no. The government had nothing to do with this. Stop overestimating them, you're not "waking people up".
@@IUseRandomPfps It's not up to you or anyone else to make any call as to if I'm waking up anyone. Plasma fires or an other raging fire generates high winds. I also don't need you telling me who did what or when or where or how. I'll suspect whomever I please that did this. You sure are mighty defensive on that. Who do you work for there shill?
Your presence of mind and clear decision making under such duress is amazing. So glad you made it and what a valuable documentary to help others understand the experience. Peace to you.
I have friends that were there, going through what you did and visually shared here. I couldn’t picture the horror when they were telling me their experience. They were visiting their sister, who lost her home. I’m so sorry to the people of Lahaina and Maui. I was there in May myself, walking those streets and interacting with so many locals… my heart is shattered. So many lives, livelihoods, so much history… I’m heartbroken for the community. I’m so sorry…
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
Here in Canada sadly these awful forest fires have destroyed towns wrecked cities and health from the smoke . Awful just horrible things to go through,my condolences
Praise Jesus, you made it out alive. You are a strong man. I find great peace in hearing your narration. I did not know there were people who could express themselves without profanity. Thank you.
That's what kept me hangin on, and Knowing Someone up there was helping. Profanity makes people feel terrible, and solves nothing. YOUR job was to get out, and keep talking to viewers and--God.😇😇
Thank you for making this very difficult video. Hearing you stay relatively calm in the midst of chaos and processing your life saving decisions verbally was amazing and actually may be helpful to anyone in future similar situations. My heart goes out to all those in Maui who experienced loss.
You making it through & reuniting with your wife brought tears to my eyes. Thank God you survived! Smart decisions made all the difference. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
Him uniting with his wife and dog made me cry too. I was praising God and then he wrote the scripture on the screen. I truly believe the LORD kept this man and his wife safe and they have an historical testimony to share with the world now. God BLESS you and your wife and dog too🥰💞🙏📖⚔️
@@shoshannahorton7461 why are you praising the God that caused this….? The Bible states (multiple scriptures) that God causes natural disasters. The best example is The Great Flood. You praise God after he murdered over 100 innocent people…? Karma will come back to you soon for that, remember I said this!
What a great video and narration. For some reason, I started watching your video, which was so very captivating and interesting, and then, when you mentioned the Kingdom Hall, I realized you’re one of my brothers! Thank you so much it was really such a great video. And I’m so grateful you are safe and back with your wife and little dog. 😊
I also thought he may be a brother but I have heard many people mention the kingdom hall there so I wasn't so sure but as I continued watching the way he carried himself and his thoughts I also believe he must be a brother. Jehovahs witnesses just have this kind peacefulness about them.
I had the same reaction! I heard Kingdom Hall and my heart jumped! So happy you made it out safely. I'm sure the knowledge of Jehovah kept you from being panicked. ❤
I knew it! You mentioned the Kingdom Hall twice and said you could hunker down there. The Kingdom Hall is thought of as a safe haven for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Isaiah 12:2 in the New World Translation was a confirmation that I was watching my brother film this. Apparently we had no damage to any Kingdom Halls there either. Thanks for your story and showing us how trust in Jehovah and prayer helped you to remain calm and make good decisions.
Just the thought of trying to get out of the town, then making the decision of abandoning your vehicle must've been scary as hell. My heart goes out to all those who passed away, and those who have to live on with the fact that they saw families huddled together in their last moments. It's hurts to think about it.
It would be so easy to think you'd make it in your car and keep waiting in traffic until it was too late. Normalcy bias is real. Especially if you're worried about losing the car. Good on him to accept the situation and make the right call, not easy.
It was pretty damn scary. Me and my coworker made the decision to ditch our car, hop a fence and run. It was a hard decision to make because you think the car can get you there faster. The car burnt and we survived. Thank you god and prayers to all that didn’t make it. 🙏
I once got cought in a flash flood while stuck at a red light and as the water rised told my ex sitting in the passenger seat "We need to roll the windows down now so we have a way to escape" as the water rushed in and it lifted up my car. We were able to make it out due to being behind a F350 that created a wake, ,but many of the vehicles around us didn't and my car didn't last long after that due to the salt water damage. I couldn't imagine realizing that your town was quickly being engulfed in flames and you would need to ditch your vehicle and run towards the ocean to be safe.
Thank you! I felt like I was your friend, and I needed to see your perspective, it helps me to process as well. Thank you for doing this video. Thank you for being strong by yourself and keeping a level head. I was in a bad mudslide here in santa barbara and lost 22 neighbors and I will just say to you, that you need to allow the ptsd and what that means for you. Thank you so much for sharing this! xxoo
I worked with the NCFS during a bad fire season after forestry school so I understand how scary and frustrating your situation is. You are doing the right thing by not panicking just using your head and staying ahead and close to water.
If you went to forestry school, then you know damn well this wasn't wild fires. Wild fires don't melt steel into the streets. Wild fires don't get nearly to the temperature that would do that. And why did all those trees remain standing? Why are there cars that are HALF burnt?
@@kermierogers7876 I haven't seen any of that , the video I watched didn't show the aftermath just how one person managed to escape the flames. I've since heard several accusations of wrong doing but nothing I can prove or accuse from my education. It's a really terrible situation and in time more will be uncovered hopefully to shed light on it all. My regrets to all affected.
@@kermierogers7876Fire doesn't work the way you want it to; powerline sparks and embers scattered these fires and made sort of like a burning pocket. This comes from the channel documenting this from beginning to end of a man in Lahaina. He even showed a powerline sparking, and as it sparked, it created new fires. Also, look at other fires, such as the Fort McMurray fire in Canada. As he stated, more information and videos will come out. The best we can do is to help these people get through this crisis, as many lost homes, family members, pets, etc. I appreciate you not thinking one way about situations and always asking questions. More proof and more truth shall prevail.
There are no words...we were just there in April. I shopped in all those little shops. My heart is hurting for the people of Maui. Thank you for this video - your footage makes it very real for us. I was clenching my teeth & sweating for you. You are a wise young man. God bless you. Oh, and I so hope that the people of Lahaina/Maui don't allow developers to destroy what they had. It was such a special place!
I have very fond memories of a vacation on Maui 25 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. Had great meal Cheeseburger in Paradise, my partner gifted me a beautiful piece of jewelry from a shop on Front Street. Did all the tourist stuff in Lahaina. Always wanted to go back. 😔 Such a majestic, historic town.
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
You know I was fine watching your documentation of the fires until that hug at the end... I'm glad you made it back and have your pup too. Thank you for helping to tell the story of what happened through your own eyes.
…that was terrifying. I held my breath in some parts without realizing it. I hope you give yourself some grace as you work through your feelings of this experience because I cannot even begin to imagine how I’d process it. Glad you are ok!! Sending prayers of peace and healing to you and all others who are working through this event from Minnesota ❤️
Aloha…It’s interesting to finally see in more depth what happened this day. I’m a lahaina resident and only now being able to see what truly happened on this unimaginable day…it’s…indescribable. All my friends and family and their houses…gone in a flash…all the place i used to go to as a kid, teen and even as a young adult just a day before this incident. All gone in a day. Words can’t describe how thankful I am for you to posting this, and while yes I couldn’t watch all of it…this is hopefully a wake up call to our officials and the negligence that’s been done is something we can ignore. I could go on an on but I don’t want to start any fights, right now we just need love care and aloha, we need to grieve and hug one another. One final thank you and for everyone who’s not from here I ask for one thing, and that’s aloha. Keep us in your prayers and if you can donate please donate to local families or a well established and know charity. Rebuilding will be hard and will be long but I grew up in this beautiful town and I know lahaina is STRONG.
What is your story? Where were you? How did you survive? God Bless your friends & family that passed. I'm terribly sorry for everything you guys lost! 😢
"Greater Good"is on the ground-- since Day1, and receives the highest praise form "Charity Navigator," who vets rescues, and charities.I have donated twice, and listen to what is NEEDED, which is important
Thank you for making this video. I felt so many emotions watching it. You made all the right decisions. You were levelheaded and had steps planned ahead. I'm so glad you made it out safely!
Oh mercy! I was on the edge of my seat watching this! It’s so obvious that so many just were not aware at all. It was so obvious at first, that some people had no idea what was happening. Breaks my heart. So glad you survived. You had spot on instincts man and smart enough to listen to them too! My prayers are with all who have suffered this tragedy and those who perished and their loved ones. Just horrific
Absolutely terrifying. You were an incredible example of how to respond in life threatening situations. Well done sir. Have you had training or was this just instinct? So glad you made it. Continued prayers for Maui. 💔
This is fire like we have never seen… thank you for your bravery and fortitude that enabled you to record this awe inspiring moment in history. I am so encourage and happy that you got you were reunited with your dog!
My heart was racing watching this 😢 I was in Victoria, Australia in 2009 when bushfires claimed the lives of 173 including friends of mine. This brings back memories of that terrible time. I'm so glad you were ok take time to heal, thinking of you all in Hawaii ❤
Wow. This was harrowing to watch. Thank you for sharing. I really appreciated how on it you were with noticing the signs in your immediate environment all along the way and how self preserving you were. It was nail biting to be with you stuck in traffic. It’s still hard to understand why you and others weren’t able to get back on the highway in the early part of the video. It feels like you were so close to getting out of Lahaina completely. My heart breaks for all those that got trapped or did not see the signs in time. Thank you for sharing.
This guy has some great perception and critical thinking skills. That’s why he’s alive. He was in serious trouble and recognized it and made good decisions getting himself out of danger.
Authorities have STILL given NO explanation as to WHY they chose to close that MAIN highway. Plus--a Hawaii official in Maui independently made the decision to TURN OFF THE WATER, so that firefighters had no water to fight the fires with--something about his belief that the "water is holy" (?), and the Disaster Official REFUSED to turn on the emergency sirens and is doubling down that he is "proud" of his decision NOT to turn them on.
@@onlycountrymouseunbelievable. So much more will come out. Had that highway been open, who knows how many lives might have been saved. Lahaina was a complete deathtrap that day, so many people never stood a chance. 😢
@@onlycountrymouseI've been watching numerous videos on this fire and have heard and seen what you've said. There is some nefarious stuff going on here. And it's not conspiratorial thinking that makes me say this. Things just don't add up. More words and actions (or lack there of) are pointing to obvious government interference. The sad scary thing is that this could happen to any of us.
You unveiled some incredible footage, and I thank you for that! It was refreshing to see something from a personal account instead of something that was filtered through the news media. You were brave, and I am very very happy that you’re OK! Amazing documentary.
Hawaii real estate guy sent me. I subscribed and liked to promote your channel. Thank God He got you out with a clear mind and sound judgement on your path to safety. ✝️❤️
@@celticfiddle7605*God creates natural disasters, and has the power to stop them. God causes this, and the Bible states it. You support a God that murdered over 120 people in Hawaii.*
@Johnathan Herzog…I would love to hear more of your story. What took you into Lahaina that day? What motivated you to leave when you did? The video of the smoke early on doesn’t give your sense of urgency justice, but you certainly knew it was time to go, as did many others. Also, what was the actual time it took you to get from the point on LahainaLuna Rd. where the police turned you back to Front Street until you got to the lava rock jetty? What happened to your van? So glad you made it out safely.
We, all from Oahu, Kaua’i, Hawai’i, Ni’ihau, Moloka’i, Kaho’olawe, and Lana’i, all of Hawai’i, our praise will travel through our hearts to all Maui, and it’s peoples safety. ❤
No sirens at first, weird. That was incredibly fast moving. Glad your safe and this video is invaluable to understanding what happened. So sorry you had to experience this and for the tragic loss. May God hold Lahaina in his hands.
They told people to evacuate by cars but then had the cops block the roads. They sent children home from school, they were alone. A teenager made it home to find his little brother burned to death holding their dog. This was all on purpose. These monster have to be held accountable. Every single one.
It’s mind boggling to imagine a city having one entrance and one exit. Granted it’s an island which has its limitations but… well, lessons to be taken into consideration I suppose. Very good video; it certainly conveys the horrific and unexpected firestorm. RIP to those lost. A very sad day indeed.
I had absolutely no idea from the coverage we have back here on the mainland that the winds were THAT high. Now it all makes more sense why so many people got trapped and cut off if the winds were 50-70 mph like it looks on your video. Thank you for this record, I'm super-impressed with how calm and collected you stayed as things degenerated. You kept your head on straight and made solid rational choices and that's something not everybody can do. Oh, BTW, did you ever find out what happened to your car?
It was a fire hurricane basically. I’ve been through so many regular hurricanes and barely bat an eye but a fire hurricane would freak me out so much. Keeping yourself calm is what got people out. I saw Google maps updated their satellite footage of Lahaina. It is even worse than I thought. 😢
The hurrican was still 600-800 miles away, there’s proof of that with weather maps. People said the wind was from the wrong direction and that the other areas in between didn’t get hit at all that that never happens. They told them the fire was contained and left it. They sent the children home, they didn’t sound the alarm. They turned the water off. They told people to evacuate by car. They had the police block the roads(many were clear, eye witness accounts). The police chief was the one in charge of the Vegas shooting(he asked for a 25% raise less than two months on the job and they gave him a 29% raise). They haven’t gotten them aid, they’ve refused the aid of others and have been caught dumping supplies in the dump(fema). The police chief is the coroner which isn’t allowed, that means he gets to decide the cause of death. Open your eyes, this was intentional. Items that are blue did not burn up(direct energy weapon) just like Paradise California. The people staunchly refused to sell their land and so they took it. They wiped out whole families so they’d have no one to challenge what they are doing. The governor passed a law three weeks before allowing the government to do with the land what it wished after a natural disaster, in that bill that part was effective immediately up to September, why? The governor has stated the government is trying to get the land. Hawaii signed up for 100% green energy and 15 min cities. The governor has even said they are going to “build back better”. That’s what the world economic forum states. This is global, look at all of the places burning down and look at how little this is covered. Why are our flags not at half mast??? Wake up, we can only get Justice if people actually SEE what these psychos are doing.
You're very calm in the face of danger. Glad you made it out. What the authorities did here with blocking escape routes and not activating sirens is criminal.
@@learnbyheart7That was the morning after the fire. During the beginning of the fire, the police were blocking the routes to the freeway as you can see in this video. Them blocking the freeway forced people to drive in loops and eventually the city became grid locked, as you can also see in the video. Them doing so resulted in so many more people dying because they literally couldn’t escape. Stay in car? Possibly blow up or die from the heat. Leave car? Die from asphyxiation or possibly injured from falling trees and power lines. They also never sounded the alarms for some reason. Just so many poor mistakes. The police absolutely failed handling this situation
@@tracts oh how sad and horrible I can't believe it even happened! Thank you so much for that excellent explanation. I am getting ready now to see if there are any updates. Take care and thanks again.
I got a little emotional when you ran to your wife and pet. That moment of relief to see a loved one after hellish scary day. So many people in Lahaina were unable to do that, so many lives lost both people and pets. You did the right thing in getting out of that car and keep moving on foot. That traffic was a death sentence for many. Anyone caught in that smoke was in danger. I know its not important and materials are things you can rebuild or but again... But Im curious, did your vehicle survive?
Hi Jon, you made difficult but life saving choices, you're here to tell the story. All the places you were are so familiar to us. We go to Maui Eldorado Ka'anapali every year in September, we had decided not to go this year due to many personal factors. We will be back though and we hope that they can rebuild this beautiful community.
This is one of the best videos of what happened to Lahaina that I've seen by far. Your calm demeanor and little narration is what made it so good even though what happened to Lahaina was so bad. When you mentioned the downed power lines near the start of the video, I immediately thought about the possibility of the downed lines being the main culprit; the sparking lines combined with the strong winds could've been the cause of the wildfire to begin with. NOTE: The wildfire was indeed caused by a owned power line, and propagated by dry conditions and high winds due to Hurricane Dora. Your idea of abandoning your work van and going out onto the breakwater was a good idea at first, but you made the right call by abandoning your post there and heading further away from the smoke. I also wonder if your work van survived the wildfire without sustaining any damage; i dont see how it couldve survived judging from the photos and videos that were taken after the wildfire died down. I was somewhat amazed at the line of cars you were walking next to on your way away from the wildfire; if I had been one of the drivers of any of the vehicles - especially one of the pickups or one of the SUVs - I would've offered you a ride; as it is, you chose the smarter route and walked because the traffic was basically at a standstill. The generosity of the man who charged your food to his hotel room and the person who opened up his hotel room so you could get some sleep was a beautiful thing to do. I'm glad to see that you made it out alive and in one piece. Your video is one that should be used to show others what it was really like that day and night. Your addition of Isaiah 12:2 was a fitting end to your video. The one verse I would've chosen is my favorite verse from the Bible, which is Psalm 23:4. Isaiah 12:2 (NKJV): "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ” Psalm 23:4 (NKJV): "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
This fire was not caused by power lines. Every aspect of this fire was intentional. The people were told the ghee was contained and then instead of putting it out they left it. They sent the children home. They turned off the water. They refused to sound the alarm(the alarm is used for any emergency and the people are to tune into the radio to find out what the emergency is). They were then instructed to evacuate by car. The police were ordered to block traffic(even though the roads were clear(eye witness accounts and the mayor I believe said the roads were not blocked when asked(lied). People who got out of the danger zone were told to go back in, those who disobeyed and went around the cops are alive to talk about it. The reason there were lines of cats is because they thought they were being helped and they were obedient. The police chief was in charge of the Vegas shooting. Less than two months after getting the job he asked for a 25% pay increase, they gave him a 29% pay increase. FEMA has been caught dumping supplies in the dump(sounds an awful lot like what happened in Puerto Rico when they discovered the mayor and governor kept supplies from the people). The fema employees are staying at a place that is $1000-$1400 a night(owned by bill gates) and the people were ‘given’ $700 per household. Billions have got to Ukraine and $700 per household to our own people. How is it that blue items didn’t burn? Blue is immune to fire? How did aluminum melt when fires like this don’t get hot enough? Look up operation Northwoods, operation Mockingbird, mk ultra, the list goes on and on. The histor channel did a documentary on direct energy weapons but people don’t want to admit this was on purpose. They sent children home to either burn alive alone or picked up by human traffickers. Wake up. Look at all of the places on fire. Almost every single one is arson. This is genocide. The people wouldn’t part with their land so now they’ve parted with their life.
Your calmness was truly amazing. You kept your wits about you in ways that are truly commendable. Thank you for sharing just how bad it got and how quickly it became dire. Getting to the water was so incredibly wise. This could truly be a training video for surviving such destruction. God bless you.
Incredible video. Crazy that you filmed from beginning to end. So the cops mistakenly trapped everyone with those detours resulting in driving in circles.
This is incredible insight into how this event came about. Thank you for sharing it. It is quite chilling to think that many of those people did not make it. Very frightening. So thankful you are ok.
I’m so very happy that you made it out! There are such wonderful people in the world, and it seems like many of them are in Lahaina. God bless you and your family and your sweet dog. ❤️✝️🇺🇸
East Sequim Congregation here. I’m glad you and others are safe. I can only imagine how relieved you were to first get to the Kingdom Hall. Great scriptural ending‼Anyway, you’re in our thoughts and prayers my brother. Over and out until the Paradise New World🤙🏽
I’m speechless this is the best 2 day coverage of this man made fire I have yet to see, when this smart gentlemen first got on the bus heading towards Kahului he mentioned how the fire seemed to pick and choose what to burn down, has the bus was driving and he was filming from one side of the road to the other side and then he got the Pentecostal church still standing and all the houses burnt down around it I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I lived all over the west side of Maui why were some churches spared and other old historical churches burnt down, why were some cars spared like the ones painted blue and other cars with other colored paint burned also why did I see a few car’s burnt and there aluminum rims melted, and right when I think I have seen it all not in this video but another video right in the middle of a completely burnt out area why was there a BLUE UMBRELLA THE KIND THAT YOU COULD STICK IN THE SAND OR USE TO GET SHADE TO COVER A TABLE WHY DID BLUE ITEMS NOT BURN. the end.
I don't understand why the National Guard or other boats weren't there to help people off of the island. This must have been terrifying for everyone! I'm glad you are safe & were able to document the events & share them with us because just talking about how terrible it was, wouldn't be enough to describe how bad it actually was.
You will never, ever see other boats help out! Fact. Hawaii has their head up their butts because of their concern with the environmental impact boats have traveling from one island to another. They don't want boats to bring in species from other islands that can be attached to the bottom of boats. They're more afraid of invasive species than saving lives. Fact. They had the superferry (three of them, all auto/walk-up passengers) that was going to ferry passengers between the islands. Environmental groups kept suing the Superferry and it shut down within months from beginning their operating schedule. The superferry was also supposed to be used in emergencies (the companies selling point) and Hawaii still shut it down. Lives could have been saved but nope, let's worry about invasive species going from one Hawaiian island to another Hawaiian island, but totally ignore cruise ship's, oil/patroleuim ships, cargo ships, etc that pull into the Hawaiian ports everyday from all over the world!
@@SirTacoBell'Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action'. Ian Fleming, Goldfinger (James Bond, #7) Follow the money 💰 To many nepharious things at play.
We annexted (forcibly conqured and removed their queen) to build one of the world's biggest military bases and give our corporations land for their destructive plantations. The fact that we have that big of a base and all that equipment and their were only able to paddle board in and get 14 people. Pathetic. Regular people and the MDP rescued the most out of the water. smh. I'm ashamed of our military and our corporations. I hope Karma is visited upon them tenfold.
@@SirTacoBell That is very interesting. People don't seem to mention any of that. Sometimes those who think the environment is so sacred fail to see the fact that humanity needs to survive and in that case there are things that need to be done to do that. It's a calculated risk, but I think the environment will do well without people interfering so much.
Absolutely stunning documentation. This is very important forensic video. If you ever have the opportunity to add specific time notations for the various clips, it would really help investigation. But you are safe and reunited with your family, and that is all that matters. So many will not find their way back.
Love the forethought to make sure the car wasn't left on the road. If you get out and leave the car in the road the people directly behind you know you're not moving but the ones behind them and behind those people still think there's a chance the cars are going to move, and they'll get stuck
This is insane and humbling. I always wonder like 'why do people not just get out of there, how fast can it go?' But this opened my eyes as to why it can be so hard to escape and also how quickly something like a fire can escalate.
I'm sorry I don't buy that in this situation. If there was an obstacle on the road, why not concentrate all available recourses to clearing that road to let those cars in line out?
Yes, imagine nobody knows what roads are blocked by trees, the police are blocking roads with down wires. Nobody is keeping track. Other people are going back home to grab stuff. People are picking up people etc.... just go in circles and just keep adding more people to the road. Bless everyone ❤❤ love
It's very humbling especially when you're a Floridian who often jokes about those wind speeds during hurricane season saying things like "it can't be THAT bad Waffle House is still open ". The wind speed is the reason why the fire spread so quickly and I couldn't imagine what the residents of Hawaii went through.
As difficult as it is to watch, thank you for documenting your way to safety. You made a lot of good decisions and I drive the same mini van you walked away from, so that resonated with me. It's really hard to wrap my head around this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to all impacted by this.
Absolutely incredible video log of your harrowing journey, away from the flames and chaos of those inching along in their vehicles. So relieved you made it out intact and alive, and we’re fortunate enough to reunite with your wife and adorable dog! That you had the focus and peace of mind to make your way out , on foot, was miraculous! Not panicking and staying calm, clearly kep you safe and out of harm’s way. Your video footage of the worsening conditions first from your vehicle, and then on foot, was incredible. Seeing the conditions deteriorate over the span of your journey, was sobering and quite dramatic and horrifying to watch. Glad you have video record of this disaster as it unfolded. Do make a hard copy of it separate and apart from your phone or even I-cloud storage. Footage like this might well disappear by those in charge who don’t want the truth getting out to the public. You are to be commended for capturing all the footage you managed to film! Please stay safe, with your wife and dog, and allow yourself sufficient time to recover and rebound from your stressful escape from the fiery disaster. Many in charge of the pre-planning measures adopted, and those who seemingly dropped the ball on so many levels, all need to be held accountable, and dealt with accordingly. Far too many lives and businesses were devastated by the inept handling of the initial responses, to not be called to task for screwing up on such a grand scale! The horrific effects of these fires were dramatically compounded by many of those in charge not doing their jobs. We all deserve answers as to what actually happened, and what steps need to be taken now, so that the many survivors can be helped to get back on their feet as quickly as possible. The federal government’s response so far has been appalling, but perhaps not unexpected, in light of their abysmal track record in handling the aftermath of other major disasters over the years. The missing children, adults and homeless from the fire zone also must all be accounted for. An accurate account of the number of victims who tragically paid the ultimate sacrifice and perished in this , must be tallied as well. The federal government has sufficient resources to bring to bear, to accomplish all of this in a timely manner.. The question is whether they will be willing to muster all these resources , so that the survivors get all the assistance they require and so richly deserve? We always manage to find billions to fund any number of programs around the globe. How about coming up with adequate funding to do the same for those in Lahaina? What possible excuse could be made for doing anything less? Thank you for providing us with the footage of your escape from the oncoming fires, and giving those in Hawaii and tye rest of the world , a view from I side the disaster in real time, as it was unfolding. You have done us all a service by providing this chronicle of your escape. You are a brave and courageous man for having done so. Our prayers and well wishes go out to all who suffered from this terrible tragedy.
Thank you for sharing this horrific event with those of us who are hurting for Maui. We are praying for your island home and it’s recovery. Thank God your calm decisions and moving away in a timely manner saved your life. God bless.
*You’re praying to the God who creates natural disasters, and is murdering these innocent people? You are disgusting, and karma will come back to you for worshipping that. Remember I said this!*
thanks, I see you used Pu'unoa Place to park and evacuate. Saw pictures of my house, and me abandoning my copper colored car at 15:15 timestamp. My car survived intact behind that 8 foot LAVA rock wall. I retrieved it dirty, but in perfect condition 4 days later. The stopped traffic on Front Street is why we both decided to head for the water. Glad you made it. All is good with me and my other "fire-buddies". Aloha
Amen. This Mainlander's dad was born and raised in Hilo. He told us all about tsunami protocol, but we never got to wild-wind whipped monster blazes!It didn't help that al lthe pineapple and bamboo plantations are gone--replaced with invasive grasses, that flame up, instantly, in heat or flame!
Wow. There are no words to express the range of emotions you experienced. Once the extent of the fire was revealed , along with the list of deceased and missing -.not enough tears in the world to weep for the Island! Your recording was down to earth, raw, emotional, and real. I am glad you are back safely!
So have you seen a list of the deceased and missing? They could work out the missing but those incinerated at cremation temperatures, no chance. People are still asking about the 2000 missing children and NO ONE is giving answers. I have my suspicions and it's dark.... as dark as it gets...
Aloha Johnathan,Im so glad you made it out.Thank you so much for filming your the last person I think filmed Front St. before the fire.I got to see Lahaina one last time thru your eyes especially the Banyan tree I pray it survived the fire.Sending lots of Prayers and good vibes from Missouri to the people of Maui!!
You are my hero! I don't know how you kept your composure, I was screaming and sobbing just watching. Thank God you're safe. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been!! Hugs, thoughts and prayers!
I am so grateful to Jehovah that you made it out ALIVE! THANKS for documenting your journey that truly shows your reliance on Our great God that helped you every step of the way!!! Completely strengthens my faith. I hope that everyone that sees this understands the power of prayer and how when we see the warning signs.... we heed them! It was so nice to do our volunteer work this morning with you and your beautiful wife.
We feel the same way, it's very powerful indeed, Jehovah provides what we need when we need it . . . We all need each other as well to get through this great tribulation that is getting closer as each one of these events in the world becomes more frequent and closer to home in this case Lahaina.
So glad you're alive and well. Thanks for letting us see through your eyes. Its very impressive how calm you are. It probably didn't feel that way at the time though. ❤
Jonathan, thank you for sharing this. This is so hard to watch. The news really can’t do it justice. Devastating, but so thankful you made it out alive.
Jonathan, what a testimony! I appreciate that you posted this as it is the only video that I have seen that chronicles the dilemma of trying to drive out and being turned in circles. I can hear others saying it, your video made us DO it. I found your spirit and voice very calming. I too had thought about that spit and the ocean. When you took us out there, it got scary. I thought I might have sat below the rock-line, yet that would have been bad. - The waves and tide looked horrible....something only your view out there really shows. - Wow....thank you for sharing your miracle. May God bless you and keep you always. May the Prince of Peace surround you. May it be on earth as it is in heaven, as you are a child of God.
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
You did excellent decision making in this unimaginable nightmare. God was definitely guiding you. My heart is broken for all the victims of this horrific fire.
How frightening and confusing. I can't believe how long you and everyone on the road went round in circles. How absolutely horrible. I am so happy to see you get away. Thank you for sharing this very personal journey. I hope you are ok and that maybe editing this film together, you found it in some way therepeutic. My best to you dear.
This is some frightening stuff. I’ve lived through two fires and the fear can be overwhelming. I pray for a strong recovery. Hawaii is a strong nation of islanders. Prayers go out for all.
Brings tears to my eyes watching the destruction. 😢 Can't even imagine the fear of what people went through. Hope and prayers for you and the people of Maui.
You set a great example for us in keeping calm amid critical conditions. We can all learn from your experience as the world continues to decline around us. I’m so sad for the people of Lahaina but so happy your calm clear thinking kept you safe. I am your sister in Texas.
Hey brother, we just watched your video, Mahalo for putting this out there for us to see what happened. Glad the kingdom hall survived, it was smart to park your vehicle in the middle of the parking lot. And to keep moving away. We would have done the same thing in your situation. What an experience this was for you. This was heartbreaking and amazing to see how this all played out. Glad you made it out safe and that all our brothers and sisters are safe as well. We have you all in our prayers and Jehovah will for sure sustain you all and he is our salvation indeed. 🤙🏽 Psalms 55: 22
Hi dear brothers and sisters, I am a sister from Germany and I pray for you all who are affected by catastrophies - while I was watching the video, I ponderd how I can use the mention of the kingdom hall to give a little witness, til I realized, Jonathan is one of us - be further blessed by jehovah - luv u all
Thank you for sharing your video. I'm so pleased you made it out. I was watching, having seen other videos, the lines of traffic :'( thinking you need to ditch the car. You stayed so calm, which helped your thought process. All glory to God. Prayers for all affected humans and animals from UK 🙏 ❤ 🕊 🇬🇧
Im surprised the beach was so empty! Your instincts to leave the car and walk to water proved invaluable! My condolences to all the families who lost loved ones 😔
on an empty beach there are not many people, he'should invite people to the beach,
I was also surprised how empty the beach was
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
From where he parked to where the video ended. It’s an hour walk. On the streets. So not only did he make the right choice. He continued moving and survived because of it. Nice job
Me too!
I teach survival courses here in the states for those who find themselves lost and in harms way. Biggest contributor I see in cases where fatalities occur is panic. Panic causes irrational thinking and you can see how it could go downhill from there. You maintained situational awareness and made measured, well-reasoned choices in a dynamic situation. And you survived. Well done brother, well done. Hang in there man.
What kind of things do people panic about that gets them in more trouble?
@@dougyeefresh87 anything. Quote from one of the Mt. St. Helen's eruption survivors: "If you panic you'll die"
Regrettably here for a lot of people they died because the police had the main road blocked and wouldn't let them leave .
The only people who were able to drive out were the ones who knew the backroads way and a lot of people didn't know that way out ... or weren't able to reach it due to smoke or fire .
@@dougyeefresh87 Getting lost is the most common activity we see panic leading to fatalities. Granted we have to speculate on some of the decisions made by the victim, but generally we trace the mistakes made to panic induced decision making.
I used to be a dive instructor and panic was something we taught students to drive to avoid. We used to have a saying for example, if your high pressure hose blows at 100 feet that’s not desirable, and you can stake steps to survive, but if you panic, you will die. The fight, flight, freeze vestiges of our lizard brain are still with us.
I do a little bit of defensive firearms training and the same applies. Panic causes weapons malfunctions, dropping fully loaded mags, trying to insert mags backwards, looking for the safety on a weapon that doesn’t have one, etc. Remaining calm doesn’t guarantee survival, but panic almost always leads to bad outcomes.
I’m no expert by any means Doug, but the “you panic you die” mantra has stuck with me since I heard for the first time.
@@gardensofthegods Garden, it is truly painful to think what those poor souls had to endure, once they understood their situation.
This had me in tears. Your calm and awareness was impeccable. Leaving your car and then leaving the dock saved your life. I can not FATHOM going thru that. God's not done with you yet my friend!! ❤🙏 Sending the biggest hugs from Northern California ❤
Amen, I agree with you. Love also from the UK 🙏 ❤ 🕊 🇬🇧
Us Californians are watching and wondering why your power wasn’t turned off when that wind picked up. Normal for us here. Yes we complain but we live.
People are much more valuable than whatever God might or might not find them useful. Please be considerate of what you say, for every person you unthinkingly say "God isn't done with you yet," to, you're implicitly telling innumerable others that their passed loved ones were expendable because "God" had no "use" for them anymore.
Really @avam ... go home
@@avamasquerade Not implied at all.
Please don't ever delete this pure piece of history.
Store it offline, videos are disappearing from people's files
It will be deleted. UA-cam is part of the world's corruption!!
@lovenloyalty777 wow!! Wtf? Do you mean people's personal files?
@@lovenloyalty777Edward Snowden!! 😢
Don’t delete and no suicides!
Your decisions under duress and instincts were literally lifesaving. This video truly captured the fear most folks there must have felt. The kindness strangers provided you was evidence there is still grace in this world…
Absolutely thinking this same thing too
Actually his actions were unintentionally foolish. He didn't grow up in fire country, you can tell. You get out , out, out immediately. You DON"T film it. You get out of there fast as you possibly can. I was biting my nails because from the first traffic jam, it was time to abandon your vehicle immediately. I've seen fire storms begin forming across 12 lanes of Los Angeles/ Orange County freeways, make these wild sideways fire tunnels 200 feet in the air, rotating and with the black smoke produced, make "bridges" and go straight over all the cars in what looks like "ground" produced in the sky under the whirling balls of flames, and all of the sudden an entirely new part of town is engulfed in flames.. . It's like watching hell in real time.
Well, I think it’s part of culture these days to document. I would have been peaced out tbh because how fast it looked like the pit of hell but If he hadn’t documented we wouldn’t know true min by min progression. Idk if he is a journalist or just a local resident but journalists have been in the thick of disasters and war and lived to tell. This is horrific and incredibly sad to think of even being apart of this. I think this is going to be with the nation for a very long time.😢
Perfectly said.. learned a lot watching this .. god bless you all !!!
@@forgottensage-o5o 😮
When you ditched your car and then looking back and knowing all those cars where you had been, did any survive or did they just wait and die in their vehicles. You made the right decision. Great documentation
There is no sugar-coating the deaths in cars.
This minimally edited video really captures the spontaneous nature of catastrophes. Just how quickly things can spin out of control in a seemingly safe situation. Thanks for posting this, it makes it easy to understand the horror that these people are going through. Glad you got out safe.
With a lot off help , from the nefarious bunch
This was NO "NATURAL Disaster"
@@lauralauren6432 I didn’t say it was, I said “spontaneous nature OF catastrophes”. And it was a catastrophe.
Thank you for posting. It helps one to understand “why” the fire moved so fast. Those winds were whipping! Very happy you made it home safely.
not just that.. had some people thinking and saying the fire was far. but in the video it was near..
and why so many died. police were forcing them to stay there and burn! thin blue line baby.
@@WTP_1776Kindly sight your source on this please.
That's standard in a fire, BTW; happened here in Cali as well and it can make the fires very specific with trees on one side unburned and cars on the other MELTED.
There are videos of people being forced to turn back, police barricades, which forced people to head straight towards harms way. @@superstarjohnnyecko The officers were only following orders, but who gave instruction?
All those poor souls that didn't park and go to the water or had no way to go there, shame on those that blocked the way and turned them back into that hell. Thank you for showing us this, as you made your way to safety. Prayers for all those lost and injured. What a tragedy.
They were blocking people from going into the fire, not out.
The downed power poles were blocking the road, which fell hours before the fire had flared up.
Classic Kill Box - all this death a d destruction so gill bates can turn Lahaina into an AI smart city
@@Voss.R Not true. They were blocking people from getting out. Not just that, but routing people who were close to getting out _back_ into the danger zone. People were instructed to evacuate by car and the police were ordered to block the roads. There were no sirens and the people had no idea how serious it was because they had been told that the fire was contained.
i cant believe people accepted their fate...id of ploughed right through their fucking road block! cant believe no one didnt do that!
You captured much needed images of police blocking roads and stopping people from evacuating, this is vital imagery
I wonder how those policeman feel now that hundreds are dead in their cars?
@@tarralynne9256; makes you think doesn't it
AI posts.
@@tarralynne9256they probably didn't give 2 crap
I was literally thinking, why do they keep re-routing them down front Street, I don't freaking get it! The cops set them up for death, so sad
What struck me: 1) The complete ABSENCE of emergency vehicles/sirens; 2) The death toll is going to be WAY higher than the ~114 stated now. Thanks for posting. Glad u made it out! 🙏
This video is absolutely proof there was NONE.
Criminal negligence at the very least
@@8188jlpcand nothing on the radio, no announcements, the cops weren't saying which way to go, just turning them in circles and waiting for their demise. Fish even asked one of the officers why he was holding the people there and he said, "I'm just following orders." He didn't say it's too dangerous to go forward or there's a safer route this way, just: I'M FOLLOWING ORDERS.
Right. The only emergency vehicles to be seen were blocking people from getting out.
14:29 RIGHT HERE is where you made the best decision and saved your own life. ❤ Wow. Unbelievable footage. Thank you for sharing this with the world. Officials in Hawaii... the whole world is watching! 🌎
Cata did you notice the 2 objects in the sky? Legit at 14:30 ..
This video should be required viewing for anyone interested in seeing how this tragedy happened.
The impossibility of finding an open way to drive out, even when skies were clear and before there was visible smoke, is incredible/frustrating/heartbreaking
Cops did that. Turned everyone down front street 🤬 such idiots.
I would have drove thri that roadblock.not sorry
I still think there was time to go around the other side of the island up napili. its not one way in and out like waianae is.
agree!
Agree!
You’re ability to stay so calm and collected during such a frightening and frustrating event is outstanding. My self talk would have been off the charts, but you were so calm, cool, collected and silent. Thank you for filming and sharing your survival story.
My anxiety level would have been level 1M also! He really taught me a lesson about remaining calm without taking 20 Xanax. Excellent video on how survival in a dire situation should be handled! MAUI STRONG💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
The three C’s stay cool, calm and collected. ❤
@@MaginFlaBlueChoice I weened myself off of the horrible highly addictive drug zanax. It took me a yr. I thank God for his grace and His strength that gave me what I needed to get off of it forever!
They got zero warning!
@@thomaskauser8978 Neither did the people in Newnan GA 2 years ago. Tornado warnings are mediated by news and cycled through insurance agencies to grant them more money. Its' all about $$ my friend. Nothing to it. And its a damn shame on all of us.
WOW!! Thank you Jonathan for sharing with us what it was like on that day. I have always loved Maui and Lahaina and have family living there. I now feel, in some small way what you all were going through. So happy you made it out and all our Brothers and Sisters are safe. Thank you again for giving us a glimpse of what it was like to be there. Our prayers are with you as the cleanup and recovery begin. Mahalo
How eerie seeing people on the streets not knowing that their home, workplace, hometown, vacation destination, etc - or even they themselves - were moments from being annihilated.
Thank you for sharing this and may God bless and uplift all those affected by this horrific tragedy.
It's this exact realization.of how fragile I truly am or how it can be over so fast and I won't even know that I ever once existed is what I try and hold onto to truly feel alive.
I know 😔that’s what gets me the most.. aside from the incredible anxiety I felt for this man up until about the 20 minute mark or so. Incredibly heartbreaking and may all the hundreds (if not more) of souls rest in peace 🥺💔😔
*God creates natural disasters, and the Bible states that multiple times. God has murdered over 120 people in Hawaii so far.*
@@thedouglaspodcast *God creates natural disasters, and the Bible states that multiple times. God has murdered over 120 people in Hawaii so far.*
Nice choice of words
Excellent reminder to listen to your gut and not wait for “authorities” to guide you! I am so glad you had a happy ending. I hope everyone you know is safe
I am SO SORRY for the devastation you suffered. A survival story. Thk you for your candor and allowing us to see what you went through. You've brilliantly captured what so many people had to do to make it through. Bless you.
Im so glad you survived. This is an excellent account of history. Thank you for making this.
This footage is the most comprehensive of what happened. Thank you for recording and sharing. At times, I almost felt like I was watching it live. Surreal. Haunting. You kept SO CALM...wow! Amazing video. I'm so sorry that you became a movie maker under such harrowing circumstances 😔.
🙏🙏🙏
Камерамэны - они все такие. Пойдут на любой риск ради эффектных кадров. Я помню, когда были теракты 11 сентября в США, и небоскрёб рухнул, все в панике бежали оттуда, кроме одного парня с видеокамерой, который бесстрашно двигался прямо на клубящуюся стену пыли и дыма. Это меня впечатлило. 👍
You created a diamond out of that coal with this video. Thank You for posting. It felt like I was beside you. 👍
If you know Old Lahaina town, he literally was going in circles. Trapped!
This has me in tears. I can’t imagine the fear and panic you endured… yet you stayed calm, made extremely smart decisions, and caught it all on tape. I thank God you are alive and reunited with your beautiful family. Much Aloha.🤙🏼
This makes my heart weep. If only we knew what was about to happen, all the lives that could've been saved. I watch and wonder which of these people in your video perished and which survived. I am glad you made it out. Thank you for sharing your video. Little did you know you were recording history.
I thought the same thing. Anyone driving north on Front Street instead of South like he was got trapped
Right now death count is above 100 and still 1300 people missing. Also a neighborhood of children perished in the fire. So heart breaking........
THEY knew what was going to happen, THEY did it. You will NEVER figure it out.
@@joesmith9216Oh God shut up. Not everything is a conspiracy. Yes the local authorities fucked up big time but this was not DEW's.
@@20team73 believe me , the numbers are much higher because two days after the fire when they were saying 57 were dead someone who has a channel said his friends were told by First Responders they had already counted over 400 perished and that there would be many more .
I'm just in awe how calm you were documenting this all on video.
What's very interesting about the video is you show how making the right choices as you logically think things through can be the big difference between life and death in this horrible situation.
Never ever seen a massive wind storm like this with no clouds and pure direct sun.
I had the same thoughts… Very strange. No clouds… 🤔
@babskaz74Huh, that’s a weird way to spell “Cyclone Dora dozens of miles offshore to the south along with a low pressure system drawing air in from the north.”
@babskaz74 I'm assuming you're gonna tell me the Rolling Fork tornado was controlled by the government too?
@@jockoharpo2622 There was a low pressure system north of Hawaii pulling in air. And no. The government had nothing to do with this. Stop overestimating them, you're not "waking people up".
@@IUseRandomPfps It's not up to you or anyone else to make any call as to if I'm waking up anyone. Plasma fires or an other raging fire generates high winds. I also don't need you telling me who did what or when or where or how. I'll suspect whomever I please that did this. You sure are mighty defensive on that. Who do you work for there shill?
Your presence of mind and clear decision making under such duress is amazing. So glad you made it and what a valuable documentary to help others understand the experience. Peace to you.
I have friends that were there, going through what you did and visually shared here. I couldn’t picture the horror when they were telling me their experience. They were visiting their sister, who lost her home. I’m so sorry to the people of Lahaina and Maui. I was there in May myself, walking those streets and interacting with so many locals… my heart is shattered. So many lives, livelihoods, so much history… I’m heartbroken for the community. I’m so sorry…
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
My apologies for their loss. I'm investigating this. Was there any video that you could share?
Here in Canada sadly these awful forest fires have destroyed towns wrecked cities and health from the smoke . Awful just horrible things to go through,my condolences
Praise Jesus, you made it out alive.
You are a strong man.
I find great peace in hearing your narration.
I did not know there were people who could express themselves without profanity. Thank you.
I was thinking the same thing. I thought he had to be a Christian to handle it the way he did.
@@valerieclarneau9537No, he sounds very Buddhist.
That's what kept me hangin on, and Knowing Someone up there was helping. Profanity makes people feel terrible, and solves nothing. YOUR job was to get out, and keep talking to viewers and--God.😇😇
It is possible for a Jehovah's Witness to be a Christian also.@@valerieclarneau9537
well, he did mention 'Kingdom Hall".....
Thank you for making this very difficult video. Hearing you stay relatively calm in the midst of chaos and processing your life saving decisions verbally was amazing and actually may be helpful to anyone in future similar situations. My heart goes out to all those in Maui who experienced loss.
You making it through & reuniting with your wife brought tears to my eyes. Thank God you survived! Smart decisions made all the difference. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
Him uniting with his wife and dog made me cry too. I was praising God and then he wrote the scripture on the screen. I truly believe the LORD kept this man and his wife safe and they have an historical testimony to share with the world now. God BLESS you and your wife and dog too🥰💞🙏📖⚔️
@@shoshannahorton7461 why are you praising the God that caused this….? The Bible states (multiple scriptures) that God causes natural disasters. The best example is The Great Flood. You praise God after he murdered over 100 innocent people…? Karma will come back to you soon for that, remember I said this!
What a great video and narration. For some reason, I started watching your video, which was so very captivating and interesting, and then, when you mentioned the Kingdom Hall, I realized you’re one of my brothers! Thank you so much it was really such a great video. And I’m so grateful you are safe and back with your wife and little dog. 😊
I also thought he may be a brother but I have heard many people mention the kingdom hall there so I wasn't so sure but as I continued watching the way he carried himself and his thoughts I also believe he must be a brother. Jehovahs witnesses just have this kind peacefulness about them.
I think he was thinking to park his car somewhere so it didn't block traffic.
I had the same reaction! I heard Kingdom Hall and my heart jumped! So happy you made it out safely. I'm sure the knowledge of Jehovah kept you from being panicked. ❤
I knew it! You mentioned the Kingdom Hall twice and said you could hunker down there. The Kingdom Hall is thought of as a safe haven for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Isaiah 12:2 in the New World Translation was a confirmation that I was watching my brother film this. Apparently we had no damage to any Kingdom Halls there either. Thanks for your story and showing us how trust in Jehovah and prayer helped you to remain calm and make good decisions.
Just the thought of trying to get out of the town, then making the decision of abandoning your vehicle must've been scary as hell. My heart goes out to all those who passed away, and those who have to live on with the fact that they saw families huddled together in their last moments. It's hurts to think about it.
It would be so easy to think you'd make it in your car and keep waiting in traffic until it was too late. Normalcy bias is real. Especially if you're worried about losing the car. Good on him to accept the situation and make the right call, not easy.
It was pretty damn scary. Me and my coworker made the decision to ditch our car, hop a fence and run. It was a hard decision to make because you think the car can get you there faster. The car burnt and we survived. Thank you god and prayers to all that didn’t make it. 🙏
Yes. It's a big decision for most people to abandon their treasured car. But you worked out it was a needed sacrifice. You can get some new wheels ...
I once got cought in a flash flood while stuck at a red light and as the water rised told my ex sitting in the passenger seat "We need to roll the windows down now so we have a way to escape" as the water rushed in and it lifted up my car. We were able to make it out due to being behind a F350 that created a wake, ,but many of the vehicles around us didn't and my car didn't last long after that due to the salt water damage.
I couldn't imagine realizing that your town was quickly being engulfed in flames and you would need to ditch your vehicle and run towards the ocean to be safe.
@@Daveydeals808Absolutely! You do feel that you're safe in your vehicle and less vulnerable. It's definitely a hard decision to make.
What hurts my heart is that there isnt really anyone else in the area you took refuge. It was a good spot. Much love from Canada.
Thank you! I felt like I was your friend, and I needed to see your perspective, it helps me to process as well. Thank you for doing this video. Thank you for being strong by yourself and keeping a level head. I was in a bad mudslide here in santa barbara and lost 22 neighbors and I will just say to you, that you need to allow the ptsd and what that means for you. Thank you so much for sharing this! xxoo
I worked with the NCFS during a bad fire season after forestry school so I understand how scary and frustrating your situation is. You are doing the right thing by not panicking just using your head and staying ahead and close to water.
If you went to forestry school, then you know damn well this wasn't wild fires. Wild fires don't melt steel into the streets. Wild fires don't get nearly to the temperature that would do that. And why did all those trees remain standing? Why are there cars that are HALF burnt?
@@kermierogers7876 I haven't seen any of that , the video I watched didn't show the aftermath just how one person managed to escape the flames. I've since heard several accusations of wrong doing but nothing I can prove or accuse from my education. It's a really terrible situation and in time more will be uncovered hopefully to shed light on it all. My regrets to all affected.
😳
@@kermierogers7876Fire doesn't work the way you want it to; powerline sparks and embers scattered these fires and made sort of like a burning pocket. This comes from the channel documenting this from beginning to end of a man in Lahaina. He even showed a powerline sparking, and as it sparked, it created new fires. Also, look at other fires, such as the Fort McMurray fire in Canada. As he stated, more information and videos will come out. The best we can do is to help these people get through this crisis, as many lost homes, family members, pets, etc. I appreciate you not thinking one way about situations and always asking questions. More proof and more truth shall prevail.
There are no words...we were just there in April. I shopped in all those little shops. My heart is hurting for the people of Maui. Thank you for this video - your footage makes it very real for us. I was clenching my teeth & sweating for you. You are a wise young man. God bless you.
Oh, and I so hope that the people of Lahaina/Maui don't allow developers to destroy what they had. It was such a special place!
I have very fond memories of a vacation on Maui 25 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. Had great meal Cheeseburger in Paradise, my partner gifted me a beautiful piece of jewelry from a shop on Front Street. Did all the tourist stuff in Lahaina. Always wanted to go back. 😔 Such a majestic, historic town.
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
You know I was fine watching your documentation of the fires until that hug at the end... I'm glad you made it back and have your pup too. Thank you for helping to tell the story of what happened through your own eyes.
So glad you're safe and sound my brother! It's a relief that all our brothers and sisters are accounted for! Much love from the Kilauea hall on Kauai!
…that was terrifying. I held my breath in some parts without realizing it. I hope you give yourself some grace as you work through your feelings of this experience because I cannot even begin to imagine how I’d process it. Glad you are ok!!
Sending prayers of peace and healing to you and all others who are working through this event from Minnesota ❤️
Aloha…It’s interesting to finally see in more depth what happened this day. I’m a lahaina resident and only now being able to see what truly happened on this unimaginable day…it’s…indescribable. All my friends and family and their houses…gone in a flash…all the place i used to go to as a kid, teen and even as a young adult just a day before this incident. All gone in a day. Words can’t describe how thankful I am for you to posting this, and while yes I couldn’t watch all of it…this is hopefully a wake up call to our officials and the negligence that’s been done is something we can ignore. I could go on an on but I don’t want to start any fights, right now we just need love care and aloha, we need to grieve and hug one another. One final thank you and for everyone who’s not from here I ask for one thing, and that’s aloha. Keep us in your prayers and if you can donate please donate to local families or a well established and know charity. Rebuilding will be hard and will be long but I grew up in this beautiful town and I know lahaina is STRONG.
What is your story? Where were you? How did you survive? God Bless your friends & family that passed. I'm terribly sorry for everything you guys lost! 😢
"Greater Good"is on the ground-- since Day1, and receives the highest praise form "Charity Navigator," who vets rescues, and charities.I have donated twice, and listen to what is NEEDED, which is important
Thank you for making this video. I felt so many emotions watching it. You made all the right decisions. You were levelheaded and had steps planned ahead. I'm so glad you made it out safely!
Oh mercy! I was on the edge of my seat watching this! It’s so obvious that so many just were not aware at all. It was so obvious at first, that some people had no idea what was happening. Breaks my heart. So glad you survived. You had spot on instincts man and smart enough to listen to them too! My prayers are with all who have suffered this tragedy and those who perished and their loved ones. Just horrific
Absolutely terrifying. You were an incredible example of how to respond in life threatening situations. Well done sir. Have you had training or was this just instinct? So glad you made it. Continued prayers for Maui. 💔
This is fire like we have never seen… thank you for your bravery and fortitude that enabled you to record this awe inspiring moment in history. I am so encourage and happy that you got you were reunited with your dog!
True, ive never seen a fire that doesnt burn blue objects.
My heart was racing watching this 😢 I was in Victoria, Australia in 2009 when bushfires claimed the lives of 173 including friends of mine. This brings back memories of that terrible time. I'm so glad you were ok take time to heal, thinking of you all in Hawaii ❤
Black saturday was my first thought as well, the winds were very similar
@@kieferbrown6855 the winds were terrible and got worse as the day went on 😔
@@nickilawrance1608 yeah I remember that day all too well, we are both lucky enough to have lived to tell the tale, unforgettable time that was
@@kieferbrown6855 sorry to hear you went through that too. Makes you hyper vigilant when it comes to fire that's for sure!
So many here went into the water, and the Government was picking them up in launches. Nothing at all like that in this Hawaii fire?
My brother, I am so glad you made the wise decision to head for the sea. We are praying for all of y'all that have been affected by the fire.
Wow. This was harrowing to watch. Thank you for sharing. I really appreciated how on it you were with noticing the signs in your immediate environment all along the way and how self preserving you were. It was nail biting to be with you stuck in traffic. It’s still hard to understand why you and others weren’t able to get back on the highway in the early part of the video. It feels like you were so close to getting out of Lahaina completely. My heart breaks for all those that got trapped or did not see the signs in time. Thank you for sharing.
This guy has some great perception and critical thinking skills. That’s why he’s alive. He was in serious trouble and recognized it and made good decisions getting himself out of danger.
Authorities have STILL given NO explanation as to WHY they chose to close that MAIN highway. Plus--a Hawaii official in Maui independently made the decision to TURN OFF THE WATER, so that firefighters had no water to fight the fires with--something about his belief that the "water is holy" (?), and the Disaster Official REFUSED to turn on the emergency sirens and is doubling down that he is "proud" of his decision NOT to turn them on.
@@onlycountrymouseunbelievable. So much more will come out. Had that highway been open, who knows how many lives might have been saved. Lahaina was a complete deathtrap that day, so many people never stood a chance. 😢
@@arielcottrell5119yeah…not only open but with the police directing traffic out one way on both sides of the road.
@@onlycountrymouseI've been watching numerous videos on this fire and have heard and seen what you've said. There is some nefarious stuff going on here. And it's not conspiratorial thinking that makes me say this. Things just don't add up. More words and actions (or lack there of) are pointing to obvious government interference. The sad scary thing is that this could happen to any of us.
You unveiled some incredible footage, and I thank you for that! It was refreshing to see something from a personal account instead of something that was filtered through the news media. You were brave, and I am very very happy that you’re OK! Amazing documentary.
Hawaii real estate guy sent me. I subscribed and liked to promote your channel. Thank God He got you out with a clear mind and sound judgement on your path to safety. ✝️❤️
Happy you made the decisions you did and made it out safe. 🙏🏼
This was a mini movie about survival and having God's blessing.
@@celticfiddle7605 yes
*Christians: “God would never hurt you, he loves you.”*
*God: “WRONG!”* 🤭🤭🤭😂
@@celticfiddle7605 *Christians: “God would never hurt you, he loves you.”*
*God: “WRONG!”* 🤭🤭🤭😂
@@celticfiddle7605*God creates natural disasters, and has the power to stop them. God causes this, and the Bible states it. You support a God that murdered over 120 people in Hawaii.*
@Johnathan Herzog…I would love to hear more of your story. What took you into Lahaina that day? What motivated you to leave when you did? The video of the smoke early on doesn’t give your sense of urgency justice, but you certainly knew it was time to go, as did many others. Also, what was the actual time it took you to get from the point on LahainaLuna Rd. where the police turned you back to Front Street until you got to the lava rock jetty? What happened to your van? So glad you made it out safely.
We, all from Oahu, Kaua’i, Hawai’i, Ni’ihau, Moloka’i, Kaho’olawe, and Lana’i, all of Hawai’i, our praise will travel through our hearts to all Maui, and it’s peoples safety. ❤
just dont get attacked by josh
No sirens at first, weird. That was incredibly fast moving. Glad your safe and this video is invaluable to understanding what happened. So sorry you had to experience this and for the tragic loss. May God hold Lahaina in his hands.
The silence was deafening. It wasn't until late in his video that you hear the first siren.
Cell phones stopped working that morning too….
..and they shut off the water….
..this is insanity.
Amen.
They told people to evacuate by cars but then had the cops block the roads. They sent children home from school, they were alone. A teenager made it home to find his little brother burned to death holding their dog. This was all on purpose. These monster have to be held accountable. Every single one.
No sirens why?it should of bean all hands on deck@@randomcole619
It’s mind boggling to imagine a city having one entrance and one exit. Granted it’s an island which has its limitations but… well, lessons to be taken into consideration I suppose. Very good video; it certainly conveys the horrific and unexpected firestorm. RIP to those lost. A very sad day indeed.
It’s the same in the Florida Keys. If you want to evacuate, you need to do it early on.
Thank you for sharing your journey. I really loved the Bible verse that you put at the end. I am so glad you were safe
I had absolutely no idea from the coverage we have back here on the mainland that the winds were THAT high. Now it all makes more sense why so many people got trapped and cut off if the winds were 50-70 mph like it looks on your video. Thank you for this record, I'm super-impressed with how calm and collected you stayed as things degenerated. You kept your head on straight and made solid rational choices and that's something not everybody can do. Oh, BTW, did you ever find out what happened to your car?
Yeah, you're right.
Great footage Jonathan, thanks for uploading!
Yeah, was your van ok?
It was a fire hurricane basically. I’ve been through so many regular hurricanes and barely bat an eye but a fire hurricane would freak me out so much. Keeping yourself calm is what got people out. I saw Google maps updated their satellite footage of Lahaina. It is even worse than I thought. 😢
If you search up, front street lahaina maui after math of the fire. All of the cars you’ll see are toasted including his
The hurrican was still 600-800 miles away, there’s proof of that with weather maps. People said the wind was from the wrong direction and that the other areas in between didn’t get hit at all that that never happens. They told them the fire was contained and left it. They sent the children home, they didn’t sound the alarm. They turned the water off. They told people to evacuate by car. They had the police block the roads(many were clear, eye witness accounts). The police chief was the one in charge of the Vegas shooting(he asked for a 25% raise less than two months on the job and they gave him a 29% raise). They haven’t gotten them aid, they’ve refused the aid of others and have been caught dumping supplies in the dump(fema). The police chief is the coroner which isn’t allowed, that means he gets to decide the cause of death. Open your eyes, this was intentional. Items that are blue did not burn up(direct energy weapon) just like Paradise California. The people staunchly refused to sell their land and so they took it. They wiped out whole families so they’d have no one to challenge what they are doing. The governor passed a law three weeks before allowing the government to do with the land what it wished after a natural disaster, in that bill that part was effective immediately up to September, why? The governor has stated the government is trying to get the land. Hawaii signed up for 100% green energy and 15 min cities. The governor has even said they are going to “build back better”. That’s what the world economic forum states. This is global, look at all of the places burning down and look at how little this is covered. Why are our flags not at half mast??? Wake up, we can only get Justice if people actually SEE what these psychos are doing.
Thanks for showing us what its actually like, and I feel so horrible for everyone affected and wish you the best.
I’m glad you’re alright!! Thank you for documenting this!! We will not let those responsible go unpunished!!
You're very calm in the face of danger. Glad you made it out. What the authorities did here with blocking escape routes and not activating sirens is criminal.
So how did his bus get out....knew where to go...?
@@learnbyheart7That was the morning after the fire. During the beginning of the fire, the police were blocking the routes to the freeway as you can see in this video. Them blocking the freeway forced people to drive in loops and eventually the city became grid locked, as you can also see in the video. Them doing so resulted in so many more people dying because they literally couldn’t escape. Stay in car? Possibly blow up or die from the heat. Leave car? Die from asphyxiation or possibly injured from falling trees and power lines. They also never sounded the alarms for some reason. Just so many poor mistakes. The police absolutely failed handling this situation
@@tracts oh how sad and horrible I can't believe it even happened! Thank you so much for that excellent explanation.
I am getting ready now to see if there are any updates. Take care and thanks again.
@@learnbyheart7maui real estate .go look at his content
I got a little emotional when you ran to your wife and pet. That moment of relief to see a loved one after hellish scary day. So many people in Lahaina were unable to do that, so many lives lost both people and pets. You did the right thing in getting out of that car and keep moving on foot. That traffic was a death sentence for many. Anyone caught in that smoke was in danger.
I know its not important and materials are things you can rebuild or but again... But Im curious, did your vehicle survive?
Exactly this 😢
Someone said it did.
Hi Jon, you made difficult but life saving choices, you're here to tell the story. All the places you were are so familiar to us. We go to Maui Eldorado Ka'anapali every year in September, we had decided not to go this year due to many personal factors. We will be back though and we hope that they can rebuild this beautiful community.
This is one of the best videos of what happened to Lahaina that I've seen by far. Your calm demeanor and little narration is what made it so good even though what happened to Lahaina was so bad.
When you mentioned the downed power lines near the start of the video, I immediately thought about the possibility of the downed lines being the main culprit; the sparking lines combined with the strong winds could've been the cause of the wildfire to begin with.
NOTE: The wildfire was indeed caused by a owned power line, and propagated by dry conditions and high winds due to Hurricane Dora.
Your idea of abandoning your work van and going out onto the breakwater was a good idea at first, but you made the right call by abandoning your post there and heading further away from the smoke. I also wonder if your work van survived the wildfire without sustaining any damage; i dont see how it couldve survived judging from the photos and videos that were taken after the wildfire died down.
I was somewhat amazed at the line of cars you were walking next to on your way away from the wildfire; if I had been one of the drivers of any of the vehicles - especially one of the pickups or one of the SUVs - I would've offered you a ride; as it is, you chose the smarter route and walked because the traffic was basically at a standstill.
The generosity of the man who charged your food to his hotel room and the person who opened up his hotel room so you could get some sleep was a beautiful thing to do.
I'm glad to see that you made it out alive and in one piece. Your video is one that should be used to show others what it was really like that day and night.
Your addition of Isaiah 12:2 was a fitting end to your video. The one verse I would've chosen is my favorite verse from the Bible, which is Psalm 23:4.
Isaiah 12:2 (NKJV):
"Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’ ”
Psalm 23:4 (NKJV):
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
This fire was not caused by power lines. Every aspect of this fire was intentional. The people were told the ghee was contained and then instead of putting it out they left it. They sent the children home. They turned off the water. They refused to sound the alarm(the alarm is used for any emergency and the people are to tune into the radio to find out what the emergency is). They were then instructed to evacuate by car. The police were ordered to block traffic(even though the roads were clear(eye witness accounts and the mayor I believe said the roads were not blocked when asked(lied). People who got out of the danger zone were told to go back in, those who disobeyed and went around the cops are alive to talk about it. The reason there were lines of cats is because they thought they were being helped and they were obedient. The police chief was in charge of the Vegas shooting. Less than two months after getting the job he asked for a 25% pay increase, they gave him a 29% pay increase. FEMA has been caught dumping supplies in the dump(sounds an awful lot like what happened in Puerto Rico when they discovered the mayor and governor kept supplies from the people). The fema employees are staying at a place that is $1000-$1400 a night(owned by bill gates) and the people were ‘given’ $700 per household. Billions have got to Ukraine and $700 per household to our own people. How is it that blue items didn’t burn? Blue is immune to fire? How did aluminum melt when fires like this don’t get hot enough? Look up operation Northwoods, operation Mockingbird, mk ultra, the list goes on and on. The histor channel did a documentary on direct energy weapons but people don’t want to admit this was on purpose. They sent children home to either burn alive alone or picked up by human traffickers. Wake up. Look at all of the places on fire. Almost every single one is arson. This is genocide. The people wouldn’t part with their land so now they’ve parted with their life.
And abandons your car is great but did the people behind know that the cars ahead were abandoned?
@@randomcole619lay off the morning wine
Your calmness was truly amazing. You kept your wits about you in ways that are truly commendable. Thank you for sharing just how bad it got and how quickly it became dire. Getting to the water was so incredibly wise. This could truly be a training video for surviving such destruction.
God bless you.
Wow. I felt like I just watched Cloverfield: Hawaii Edition (without the alien). Thanks for shooting and sharing this.
Incredible video. Crazy that you filmed from beginning to end. So the cops mistakenly trapped everyone with those detours resulting in driving in circles.
This is incredible insight into how this event came about. Thank you for sharing it. It is quite chilling to think that many of those people did not make it. Very frightening. So thankful you are ok.
I’m so very happy that you made it out! There are such wonderful people in the world, and it seems like many of them are in Lahaina. God bless you and your family and your sweet dog. ❤️✝️🇺🇸
East Sequim Congregation here. I’m glad you and others are safe. I can only imagine how relieved you were to first get to the Kingdom Hall. Great scriptural ending‼Anyway, you’re in our thoughts and prayers my brother. Over and out until the Paradise New World🤙🏽
Jonathon, praise God you are ok. Thank you for showing us what had happened that dreadful day from your eyes. Please keep us updated.
I’m speechless this is the best 2 day coverage of this man made fire I have yet to see, when this smart gentlemen first got on the bus heading towards Kahului he mentioned how the fire seemed to pick and choose what to burn down, has the bus was driving and he was filming from one side of the road to the other side and then he got the Pentecostal church still standing and all the houses burnt down around it I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I lived all over the west side of Maui why were some churches spared and other old historical churches burnt down, why were some cars spared like the ones painted blue and other cars with other colored paint burned also why did I see a few car’s burnt and there aluminum rims melted, and right when I think I have seen it all not in this video but another video right in the middle of a completely burnt out area why was there a BLUE UMBRELLA THE KIND THAT YOU COULD STICK IN THE SAND OR USE TO GET SHADE TO COVER A TABLE WHY DID BLUE ITEMS NOT BURN. the end.
I don't understand why the National Guard or other boats weren't there to help people off of the island.
This must have been terrifying for everyone! I'm glad you are safe & were able to document the events & share them with us because just talking about how terrible it was, wouldn't be enough to describe how bad it actually was.
You will never, ever see other boats help out! Fact. Hawaii has their head up their butts because of their concern with the environmental impact boats have traveling from one island to another. They don't want boats to bring in species from other islands that can be attached to the bottom of boats. They're more afraid of invasive species than saving lives. Fact. They had the superferry (three of them, all auto/walk-up passengers) that was going to ferry passengers between the islands. Environmental groups kept suing the Superferry and it shut down within months from beginning their operating schedule. The superferry was also supposed to be used in emergencies (the companies selling point) and Hawaii still shut it down. Lives could have been saved but nope, let's worry about invasive species going from one Hawaiian island to another Hawaiian island, but totally ignore cruise ship's, oil/patroleuim ships, cargo ships, etc that pull into the Hawaiian ports everyday from all over the world!
@@SirTacoBell'Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action'.
Ian Fleming, Goldfinger (James Bond, #7)
Follow the money 💰 To many nepharious things at play.
We annexted (forcibly conqured and removed their queen) to build one of the world's biggest military bases and give our corporations land for their destructive plantations. The fact that we have that big of a base and all that equipment and their were only able to paddle board in and get 14 people. Pathetic. Regular people and the MDP rescued the most out of the water. smh. I'm ashamed of our military and our corporations. I hope Karma is visited upon them tenfold.
@@SirTacoBell That is very interesting. People don't seem to mention any of that. Sometimes those who think the environment is so sacred fail to see the fact that humanity needs to survive and in that case there are things that need to be done to do that. It's a calculated risk, but I think the environment will do well without people interfering so much.
The island is built on a reef they couldn't get the big boats in
Absolutely stunning documentation. This is very important forensic video. If you ever have the opportunity to add specific time notations for the various clips, it would really help investigation. But you are safe and reunited with your family, and that is all that matters. So many will not find their way back.
Love the forethought to make sure the car wasn't left on the road. If you get out and leave the car in the road the people directly behind you know you're not moving but the ones behind them and behind those people still think there's a chance the cars are going to move, and they'll get stuck
This is insane and humbling. I always wonder like 'why do people not just get out of there, how fast can it go?' But this opened my eyes as to why it can be so hard to escape and also how quickly something like a fire can escalate.
The people were instructed to Eva irate by cars and the cops were told to block the roads, this was not natural in any way shape or form….
I'm sorry I don't buy that in this situation. If there was an obstacle on the road, why not concentrate all available recourses to clearing that road to let those cars in line out?
Yes, imagine nobody knows what roads are blocked by trees, the police are blocking roads with down wires. Nobody is keeping track. Other people are going back home to grab stuff. People are picking up people etc.... just go in circles and just keep adding more people to the road. Bless everyone ❤❤ love
@@randomcole619They were told to block the road to keep people from going into it, dimwit.
It's very humbling especially when you're a Floridian who often jokes about those wind speeds during hurricane season saying things like "it can't be THAT bad Waffle House is still open ".
The wind speed is the reason why the fire spread so quickly and I couldn't imagine what the residents of Hawaii went through.
As difficult as it is to watch, thank you for documenting your way to safety. You made a lot of good decisions and I drive the same mini van you walked away from, so that resonated with me. It's really hard to wrap my head around this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to all impacted by this.
Absolutely incredible video log of your harrowing
journey, away from the flames and chaos of those
inching along in their vehicles. So relieved you made it out intact and alive, and we’re fortunate enough to reunite with your wife and adorable
dog! That you had the focus and peace of mind
to make your way out , on foot, was miraculous!
Not panicking and staying calm, clearly kep you
safe and out of harm’s way.
Your video footage of the worsening conditions
first from your vehicle, and then on foot, was
incredible. Seeing the conditions deteriorate
over the span of your journey, was sobering
and quite dramatic and horrifying to watch.
Glad you have video record of this disaster
as it unfolded. Do make a hard copy of it
separate and apart from your phone or
even I-cloud storage. Footage like this
might well disappear by those in charge
who don’t want the truth getting out to
the public. You are to be commended
for capturing all the footage you managed to
film! Please stay safe, with your wife and dog,
and allow yourself sufficient time to recover and
rebound from your stressful escape from the fiery
disaster. Many in charge of the pre-planning
measures adopted, and those who seemingly
dropped the ball on so many levels, all need to be held accountable, and dealt with accordingly.
Far too many lives and businesses were
devastated by the inept handling of the
initial responses, to not be called to task for
screwing up on such a grand scale! The horrific
effects of these fires were dramatically compounded by many of those in charge not
doing their jobs. We all deserve answers as to what actually happened, and what steps need to
be taken now, so that the many survivors can
be helped to get back on their feet as quickly
as possible. The federal government’s
response so far has been appalling, but perhaps not unexpected, in light of their abysmal track
record in handling the aftermath of other major
disasters over the years. The missing children,
adults and homeless from the fire zone also
must all be accounted for. An accurate account of the number of victims who tragically paid the
ultimate sacrifice and perished in this , must be
tallied as well. The federal government has
sufficient resources to bring to bear, to
accomplish all of this in a timely manner..
The question is whether they will be willing
to muster all these resources , so that the
survivors get all the assistance they require
and so richly deserve? We always manage to
find billions to fund any number of programs
around the globe. How about coming up with adequate funding to do the same for those in
Lahaina? What possible excuse could be made
for doing anything less?
Thank you for providing us with the footage of
your escape from the oncoming fires, and giving
those in Hawaii and tye rest of the world , a
view from I side the disaster in real time, as it was
unfolding. You have done us all a service by
providing this chronicle of your escape. You are a brave and courageous man for having done so.
Our prayers and well wishes go out to all who
suffered from this terrible tragedy.
Thank you for sharing this horrific event with those of us who are hurting for Maui. We are praying for your island home and it’s recovery. Thank God your calm decisions and moving away in a timely manner saved your life. God bless.
*You’re praying to the God who creates natural disasters, and is murdering these innocent people? You are disgusting, and karma will come back to you for worshipping that. Remember I said this!*
thanks, I see you used Pu'unoa Place to park and evacuate. Saw pictures of my house, and me abandoning my copper colored car at 15:15 timestamp. My car survived intact behind that 8 foot LAVA rock wall. I retrieved it dirty, but in perfect condition 4 days later. The stopped traffic on Front Street is why we both decided to head for the water. Glad you made it. All is good with me and my other "fire-buddies". Aloha
Amen. This Mainlander's dad was born and raised in Hilo. He told us all about tsunami protocol, but we never got to wild-wind whipped monster blazes!It didn't help that al lthe pineapple and bamboo plantations are gone--replaced with invasive grasses, that flame up, instantly, in heat or flame!
This is the most amazing Maui footage I have seen so far on the fire brewing and the power lines flying….Jonathan thanks for bringing to the world
Wow. There are no words to express the range of emotions you experienced. Once the extent of the fire was revealed , along with the list of deceased and missing -.not enough tears in the world to weep for the Island! Your recording was down to earth, raw, emotional, and real. I am glad you are back safely!
the Maui fires were listed on the WEF web site since 2011 for more watch wretched watchman
So have you seen a list of the deceased and missing? They could work out the missing but those incinerated at cremation temperatures, no chance. People are still asking about the 2000 missing children and NO ONE is giving answers. I have my suspicions and it's dark.... as dark as it gets...
Aloha Johnathan,Im so glad you made it out.Thank you so much for filming your the last person I think filmed Front St. before the fire.I got to see Lahaina one last time thru your eyes especially the Banyan tree I pray it survived the fire.Sending lots of Prayers and good vibes from Missouri to the people of Maui!!
The banyan tree so far is still standing.
You are my hero! I don't know how you kept your composure, I was screaming and sobbing just watching. Thank God you're safe. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been!! Hugs, thoughts and prayers!
This should win an award for complete awareness for human kind. What a great man!
I am so grateful to Jehovah that you made it out ALIVE!
THANKS for documenting your journey that truly shows your reliance on Our great God that helped you every step of the way!!!
Completely strengthens my faith. I hope that everyone that sees this understands the power of prayer and how when we see the warning signs.... we heed them!
It was so nice to do our volunteer work this morning with you and your beautiful wife.
We feel the same way, it's very powerful indeed, Jehovah provides what we need when we need it . . . We all need each other as well to get through this great tribulation that is getting closer as each one of these events in the world becomes more frequent and closer to home in this case Lahaina.
🙏🏼🙏🏼💙💙
So glad you're alive and well. Thanks for letting us see through your eyes. Its very impressive how calm you are. It probably didn't feel that way at the time though. ❤
Did a great job recording history. My prayers for Hawaii
Jonathan, thank you for sharing this. This is so hard to watch. The news really can’t do it justice. Devastating, but so thankful you made it out alive.
So happy you are safe. Thank you for showing the world what happened there
Jonathan, what a testimony! I appreciate that you posted this as it is the only video that I have seen that chronicles the dilemma of trying to drive out and being turned in circles. I can hear others saying it, your video made us DO it. I found your spirit and voice very calming. I too had thought about that spit and the ocean. When you took us out there, it got scary. I thought I might have sat below the rock-line, yet that would have been bad. - The waves and tide looked horrible....something only your view out there really shows. - Wow....thank you for sharing your miracle. May God bless you and keep you always. May the Prince of Peace surround you. May it be on earth as it is in heaven, as you are a child of God.
*if you believe in god, it shouldn’t be heartbreaking, because the Bible states that God creates all natural disasters. God has murdered over 100 people in Hawaii so far. If you believe in God, you have no right to be sad…because you support the fact God is murdering these innocent people. God is so great!* 🤭🤭🤭🤦♂️
You did excellent decision making in this unimaginable nightmare. God was definitely guiding you. My heart is broken for all the victims of this horrific fire.
Thank you so much for documenting all of this. Your calm in the face of such horrific circumstances is admirable
I’m so glad you made it through this… it must have been terrifying!
Props to the battery life of your camera!
How frightening and confusing. I can't believe how long you and everyone on the road went round in circles. How absolutely horrible. I am so happy to see you get away. Thank you for sharing this very personal journey. I hope you are ok and that maybe editing this film together, you found it in some way therepeutic. My best to you dear.
Incredible job having the composer to film and narrate. Lahaina is our favorite place on earth to visit and we’re doing our best to help.
This is some frightening stuff. I’ve lived through two fires and the fear can be overwhelming. I pray for a strong recovery. Hawaii is a strong nation of islanders. Prayers go out for all.
Brings tears to my eyes watching the destruction. 😢 Can't even imagine the fear of what people went through. Hope and prayers for you and the people of Maui.
You set a great example for us in keeping calm amid critical conditions. We can all learn from your experience as the world continues to decline around us. I’m so sad for the people of Lahaina but so happy your calm clear thinking kept you safe. I am your sister in Texas.
Hey brother, we just watched your video, Mahalo for putting this out there for us to see what happened. Glad the kingdom hall survived, it was smart to park your vehicle in the middle of the parking lot. And to keep moving away. We would have done the same thing in your situation. What an experience this was for you. This was heartbreaking and amazing to see how this all played out. Glad you made it out safe and that all our brothers and sisters are safe as well. We have you all in our prayers and Jehovah will for sure sustain you all and he is our salvation indeed. 🤙🏽 Psalms 55: 22
Amen
Exactly.
Hi dear brothers and sisters, I am a sister from Germany and I pray for you all who are affected by catastrophies - while I was watching the video, I ponderd how I can use the mention of the kingdom hall to give a little witness, til I realized, Jonathan is one of us - be further blessed by jehovah - luv u all
@@tamarproft3511 Aloha Sista 🤙🏽 Mahalo 🙏🏽
Cya in paradise
Thanks for sharing this video. Love the scripture you included. Glad you made it safely. God bless you and all the people of Maui.
Thank you for sharing your video. I'm so pleased you made it out. I was watching, having seen other videos, the lines of traffic :'( thinking you need to ditch the car. You stayed so calm, which helped your thought process. All glory to God. Prayers for all affected humans and animals from UK 🙏 ❤ 🕊 🇬🇧
I fear I would have made he wrong decision--to drive UP on the sidewalk to pass cars. Thank God I wasn't driving.
I think I lost situational awareness, as I watched..
You made a series of good decisions, and mixed with a little luck, you survived. Well done, sir.