Heartbreaking photos show friends and family holding 15th birthday party on Maui beach for boy whose charred remains were found in his bedroom by mom two weeks ago in Hawaii wildfire

The family and friends of a teen killed in the Lahaina wildfires have thrown a party for what would have been his 15th birthday.

Dozens of loved ones gathered at Honokowai Beach Park on Maui for a celebration of the life of Kenyero Fuentes just over a week after a fire claimed his life.

Fuentes is one of 114 people confirmed to have died following the horrific fires on the Hawaiian island, which may have been caused by a downed power line.

That’s what the teen’s mother, Luz Vargas, told me NPR that her family rushed to pull Fuentes out of the fires, only to find the boy’s charred remains face down in the wreckage.

“Please God, hold him for me,” Vargas told the outlet of her response. ‘Wait for me there, myo. Wait for me, because one day I too will leave this earth.’

The teenage boy’s loved ones gathered on the beach at the picturesque location on Sunday afternoon to share stories and remember the boy, gone too soon.

Several photos showed Vargas hugging others at the event and admiring flowers and signs placed in memory of Fuentes.

The celebration of life comes as one GoFundMe to organize a funeral for the boy raised more than $28,000 in a matter of days.

“He had many dreams and hopes for his future,” the fundraiser’s description reads.

The fund quickly reached and blew past its original goal of $15,000.

“We are extremely devastated by this and are trying to let him rest as he deserves.” the description continues.

Hundreds have donated to the fund and dozens have shared messages of support.

“There are no words to express how sorry I am for the loss of your son. Sending love from Colorado,” one person shared.

Sending all our aloha to this ohana. God bless you,” added another.

According to Vargas, Fuentes was home alone on the day of the fires.

Classes for the teen were scheduled to begin the next day at Lahainaluna High School.

The rest of the family, including Vargas’ husband and their oldest son, were cleaning in a nearby condominium when the fire broke out.

As other families fled the fires, they ran back into the area in an effort to find their loved ones.

“Everyone ran from the flames, but we all ran towards them,” Vargas said, adding that they split up to try and find him.

At one point, another resident told her to stop and flee.

‘Do not go! The fire has consumed everything,” Vargas remembers her words.

Her slippers melted as she ran through the streets until she was stopped by firefighters and first responders who told her there was no one left.

It wasn’t until two days later that Fuentes’ friends told her they had gone to the house and discovered his remains.

As of August 21, there are an estimated 1,000 residents still to be accounted for.

“This is unprecedented,” Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said earlier this week.

“No one has ever seen this that lives today. Not this size, not this number, not this volume – and we’re not done yet,” Pelletier said at a press conference.

Nearly 80 percent of the fire zone has been searched for survivors and remains.

“We’re still trying to identify who was in the area during the fire, who’s missing,” said Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. NBC.