Oprah Winfrey pays tribute to her father as he dies aged 88
Oprah Winfrey has been one of the countless celebrities now donating to help restore and rebuild Maui, Hawaii once the catastrophic wildfires stop ravaging the area.
The devastating blaze has become the deadliest wildfires in US history with at least 93 people reportedly dead with many families displaced and searching for loved ones.
The 69-year-old has returned to her philanthropic roots and is in Maui at the moment, visiting the shelters to speak to survivors and provide essential donations like diapers and pillows.
Oprah, who is one of the richest self-made women in America with a net worth of $2.5billion (£1.9billion), confirmed on Instagram: “I will make a major donation after all of the smoke and ashes have settled here and we figure out what the rebuilding is gonna look like.”
The TV icon also shared one harrowing story from one of the survivors she had spoken to as she praised the “incredible people” she met at the island’s shelters.
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She had gone up to the man, Julius, asking if there was anything she could do or get for him because “his legs were covered in bandages”.
Julius explained that when the fires approached he had to leap out of his car, as the tyres melted, and run away on foot.
With a solemn expression, Oprah continued: “He said to me he could feel his skin popping as he was running.”
To answer her question, Julius said he didn’t need a single thing from her, adding: “My life is now my greatest gift. I have my life.”
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Oprah shared some of the other heartwrenching sights she had witnessed as she saw whole families sharing an air mattress after the fire had taken everything else they owned.
She ended the clip: “I know that long after all the camera crews are gone and the rest of the world has moved on, the rebuilding will just begin.”
On Sunday, it was reported Oprah’s camera crew had been turned away from one of the main shelters at the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku.
Officials explained that the group had been denied as there is currently no media access to the shelter “out of respect for those who have come to seek safety and shelter”.
The County of Maui also later clarified that the world-renowned journalist instructed her camera crew to remain outside while she was welcomed into the facility.
Residents of the island have reportedly asked their A-list neighbours, like Oprah and Jeff Bezos to speak out on the tragedy to raise awareness according to Hawaii News Now.
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