Oprah remains silent amid fires in Maui as desperate Hawaiians plead with famous billionaires with island homes for help
As the residents of Maui awaken to another day of devastation caused by a devastating wildfire that has so far claimed 36 lives and left hundreds homeless, many are wondering where the island’s richest landowners are – and what they are willing to pay. do to help.
Oprah, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Clint Eastwood and Steven Tyler are among the big names with homes on Maui, but no one has yet said how they want to help those in need.
Lauren Sanchez, Bezos’ fiancé, posted on Instagram that the fires “broke her heart,” but he has yet to make a statement.
With a net worth of $162 billion, he is the third richest man in the world. Bezos owns a $78 million property on Maui’s southwest coast.
Maui’s part-time residents include Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos, Steven Tyler, Owen Wilson, and more. Larry Ellison owns almost the entire island of Lanai, which is near the city of Lahaina. Fleetwood Mac’s Mick has encouraged fundraisers and is suffering the loss of his restaurant himself. There is silence from the others as thousands of locals try to put the pieces of their lives and homes back together
A source close to the couple tells DailyMail.com that they are “devastated” by the disaster.
“They have been on the phone with the local population and local officials since yesterday. They will make donations to help the community,” they said.
Oprah, worth $2.5 billion, owns nearly 2,000 acres of land on Maui and has lived there part-time for 15 years. It is unclear whether her land was damaged.
She bought up the most recent lot – 860 acres – in March of this year for $6.6 million. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler also has a home on the island, as do Owen Wilson and Clint Eastwood.
Oprah spends much of her time on Maui with best friend Gayle King. The pair is shown on a recent hike in Hawaii
In addition to an 11-bedroom farmhouse (pictured), Oprah owns a total of nearly 2,000 acres of land on Maui
Larry Ellison owns 98 percent of the nearby island of Lanai. The Oracle billionaire has yet to make a public statement about the catastrophe.
Mark Zuckerberg, owner of a huge house on the island of Kaua, has yet to speak about the disaster.
Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood saw his restaurant in Lahaina—Fleetwood’s on Front Street—burn to the ground.
In a statement posted on social media, Mick said, “Maui and the Lahaina community have been my home for decades.
“This is a devastating moment for Maui and many are suffering an unimaginable loss.
“Fleetwood’s on Front Street has been lost and while we are heartbroken, our number one priority is the safety of our precious employees and team members.
Bezos’ house with Sanchez is located in the exclusive bay of La Pérouse. He paid a whopping $78 million for the property, which sits on 14 acres
Bezos with his fiancee Lauren Sanchez four days ago in Taormina, Sicily. A source close to the couple tells DailyMail.com they are “devastated” and have been on the phone with “locals and local officials” to determine how best to help
“On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui.
“We are committed to supporting the community and those affected by this disaster in the days, months and years to come.”
Barack Obama, who grew up in Honolulu and has a home on the Big Island, also released a statement last night with a link to the a fundraising by the local community.
“It’s hard to see some of the images coming from Hawaii – a place that’s so special to so many of us.
“Michelle and I are thinking of everyone who has lost a loved one or whose life has been turned upside down. If you want to help, you can do it here,” he said.
After hearing reports that her home was destroyed along with her pets, Steff Baku-Kirkman reacts after wildfires caused by high winds reportedly destroyed much of the historic city of Lahaina
Lahaina nearly wiped off the map after 271 buildings burned to the ground in fierce wildfires
An aerial view shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground around the harbor and Front Street in the historic town of Lahaina in the aftermath of western Maui wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 10, 2023
On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, a wildfire rages in Kihei, Hawaii. Thousands of residents rushed to flee their homes on Maui as flames swept across the island, destroying parts of an ancient city in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in recent years.
Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood saw his restaurant in Lahaina – Fleetwood’s on Front Street – burned to the ground
Jason Momoa, who is from Honolulu, also appealed for help for the island’s residents.
“We are devastated and heartbroken for our friends and ‘ohana on Maui affected by the recent wildfires.’
Momoa has repeatedly shared links to the fundraising efforts.
Bette Midler, who also has a home in Hawaii, tweeted about the ongoing disaster response.
The American Red Cross is in Hawaii to help with the recovery that officials say will take “years.”
According to Deadline, celebrity chef Jose Andres — who regularly lends his aid during natural disasters — is working on a plan to bring food to many of Maui’s locals.
The death toll from the fires has now risen to 36, with hundreds still missing and hundreds left homeless.