Meet Maggie's Family

(Pictured: Joann, Maggie, Mario, & Gracia)

Maggie (pronounced mah-jee) Acosta works in Housekeeping and has been a part of the Napili Surf 'Ohana for 11 years. Known by everyone around her as mild-mannered and soft-spoken but with a bright spirit, Maggie is beloved by colleagues & visitors alike. Creative and kind, she makes diamond art pieces, including one of a boat on the ocean that she made just prior to the fires, intended as a birthday gift for her manager (Tano Taitano). Maggie and her husband (Mario) have 2 beautiful daughters, Joann & Gracia, as well as a large extended family who all lived in Lahainaluna.

As the devastating fires began ravaging Lahaina, the grandson of Maggie's coworker and neighbor (Aida Ladera) ran to Maggie's home, banging on their door and breathlessly warning them to run as they were unaware of the furiously approaching fires. As the family drove through flames desperate to escape, Maggie was in complete terror, uncertain where her youngest daughter, Gracia, was and unable to contact her. In the midst of the chaos, Maggie & Mario rescued a stranger, committed to helping others even as they searched for their daughter and fled for their lives. Eventually they found Gracia, and their family was reunited, in shock that their home was destroyed but overjoyed that their family was together.

Maggie's large extended family was also significantly impacted by the fires, all losing their homes and many going through unimaginable circumstances to survive. As the fires encircled Front Street, her niece and nephew were forced to leap into the ocean, covered in dense smoke and with boats exploding around them, where they treaded water for hours waiting to be rescued.  

With so much of their family severely impacted by the horrific fires, Maggie & her family still remain so grateful. With fall semester starting weeks after the fires, Joann returned to Nevada to continue pursuing her master's degree in accounting, and her sister, Gracia, joined her there, starting her first year of college at University of Nevada Las Vegas. Proudly encouraging their daughters to look forward to the future and begin healing from the fires, Maggie & Mario remain in Maui, homeless and devastated by all that they lost with no choice but to continue seeking refuge at Napili Surf. This incredible family surges forward, committed to rising up from the literal ashes for a bright new future one day. 

To help Maggie and her amazing family, please Donate & Share: 

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