Lahaina Fire Rare Movie Poster Collection destroyed

[Filmlobbycards]

Aloha all
This is Tait Maxfeldt…longtime collector from Lahaina, Maui…I was lucky enough to make it out alive with my girlfriend…sadly our house burnt down and we lost everything…that includes my significant collection of rare lobby cards and movie posters…some of which are one of a kind and incredibly rare…everything is gone…we are now homeless and trying to pick up the pieces before we fly out of Hawaii…it’s truly devastating …luckily we have our lives..we are still in complete shock…words cannot express the deep sadness we are experiencing.

If anyone in the collector community wants to help us….we have a go fund me account…if you can share with our community I would be most grateful…thank you and bless our beloved hobby!!

Aloha and Mahalo
Tait Maxfeldt
https://www.gofundme.com/f/jaime-rae-tait-maui-fire-victims?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

[Starling]

Hi Tait,

What devastating news. Words at this time probably don't mean much, but I am glad you and your girlfriend made it out. The loss of all your movie paper is probably much lower on the list of things you are concerned about, but I hope someday you are able to rejoin the hobby, as I have always really enjoyed your posts and enthusiasm for the material.

Sending you positive thoughts (and funds)!

Brian

[Filmlobbycards]

Aloha all…and thank you Brian!

A quick update on the reality of the situation because it could get much worse…we have a series of hurricanes coming ..you can see them heading towards Hawaii right now… so hopefully we can fly out tomorrow…the situation in Lahaina is much worse than expected…there are far more people missing than we thought…a large amount of children are missing still and they’ve only searched a small amount of Lahaina town…unfortunately they let the schools out early from Lahainaluna and on front street because of the winds and downed power lines just before the fire…many of their parents working in hotels in Kaanapali…they are missing and their parents can’t get in…it’s far too dangerous…they are still searching for bodies in the ocean with the coast guard…the Lahaina harbors fuel supply spilled in the ocean and caught it on fire on front street ..with many lives perishing jumping in the water and burning alive to escape the flames as front street combusted…they most likely will never be found…they are trying to find as many bodies as they can before the next hurricane arrives.

I hiked through Lahaina the morning after the fire to get out…it was the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen..bodies melted into cars and dead animals everywhere…we have been asked by the police and National guard to NEVER post photos of the bodies for sanctity of the dead…the associated press has been asked as well…the County of Maui has asked also that anyone with a missing person to give DNA samples so they can try and match them to what they have found…most bodies cannot be removed as you can’t handle them…the fire was too hot…they are bringing in mostly small samples…

I know this is a poster forum but I wanted to give an update to all of you about everything before next week so you know to expect more bad news…this isn’t close to being over ….and HOPEFULLY these hurricanes miss the islands!!!

Aloha and Mahalo
Tait Maxfeldt

[50s]

Sounds unimaginably bad over there. I don't read much news anymore. Glad you are well, but sad for your losses, and wish you well in finding your new path

[Tob]

An absolutely awful situation. It's chilling just reading your account, let alone living through it and seeing that first hand. Best wishes to you both and everyone else on Maui.

[Filmlobbycards]

Aloha and thank you for the well wishes!

Unfortunately we were all evacuated before I could save the vast majority of my collection in my file drawers…it was a truly beautiful collection. My girlfriend and I lost everything else as well…but we are grateful for our lives!!

In the end it is nothing compared to the tragic loss of life, of multigenerational families and the destruction of a truly historic town…Maui will never be the same.

There are still some 1000+ people missing after 1 week…for anyone who has visited Lahaina…it’s completely gone..there is nothing left..The place I called home for 22 years is unrecognizable. My heart goes out to those with the missing family members. With great spirit however there is a true heroic effort by rescue and humanitarian efforts worldwide to help with this overwhelming tragedy.

FEMA has helped us leave the island so we are now safe with my family and friends!

It’s honestly the only good news I have

Bless you all and Aloha
Tait