Maui victim who escaped Lahaina shares ties to the Coachella Valley

As we continue to learn more about the devastating Maui Wildfires, one long time Coachella Valley resident who lived in Lahaina is sharing her story with us. 

Ariella Carrillo grew up in the Valley her entire life, attending Cathedral City High School and College of the Desert.

She even shares that she worked at the Tommy Bahama in Palm Springs before she was transferred to work at the store's location on Front Street in Lahaina two years ago.

Less than a week ago, she managed to escape the wildfires with her boyfriend, Jester Corpuz and their three month old baby. 

"We left together. So we've just been sticking together. We escaped the fire within like hours not knowing that was the last time we'd ever be home," said Carrillo.

Although they flew to Michigan to stay with family, they can’t help but to think of the loss back home. 

"These are people that could be my neighbors, that we see on the daily, the town is so small, we know someone that knows someone. Adjusting to this new life is gonna be tough, but to think that we can't go back for how long, I don't know," said Corpuz.

Their lives changing in minutes.

"Within 30 minutes it took out entire Front Street, our entire neighborhood. It took out everything. It was so quick that there was no there was no emergency. There was no sirens. There was no evacuation warning," said Carrillo.

Carrillo, along with her cousin-in-law, their husbands and kids all remained on the island for a couple of days after the fires destroyed the city of Lahaina. 

"So they had to ration food they had to ration water bottles, everything," said Carrillo's cousin-in-law, Lauren Pascua.

"We didn't eat a real meal for like those two days and we had the kids, so it was like really hard to get food and water," said Carrillo.

Her family losing almost everything to the flames, including their home that had been passed down her boyfriend’s family since the 1950s.

"When our family got out, they escaped because they said all they felt was the floor was hot. They felt like a fire was coming," said Carrillo.

They continue to hold onto to resilience as they start to rebuild. 

"Yes, we lost everything. But we like we have everything we got to make sure that we got all of our family and everybody was safe," said Carrillo.

"I dream of the perfect paradise, a better paradise when they do rebuild it," said Corpuz.

You can help Ariella Corpuz and her family rebuild by donating to her gofundme page here.

The Pascua family is also accepting donations at their gofundme page here.

Click here to find additional resources to help Maui victims.

You can find more stories we've covered out of Maui below:

Palm Desert man has more than 50 family members in Lahaina who survived Maui Wildfires

Valley businesses and organizations fundraise for those who survived Maui Wildfires

Valley businesses organize ‘Kokua Maui Fundraiser’ to help wildfire victims

‘Unimaginable for Hawaii’ Local resident speaks out about wildfires ravaging Maui

Palm Desert man evacuated during vacation as fires ravaged Maui

A look at the Maui wildfires through the lens of a local woman