Wonder Lake native survives Lahaina wildfires

Talking about the widespread devastation of Lahaina, Hawaii, is still difficult for Chuck Dicker.

The Wonder Lake native stayed in his home there for a week without electricity after wildfires destroyed much of the town, departing for the continental United States on Aug. 15.

“Nothing’s about me, because I didn’t lose my house,” said Dicker, who shared his experiences with the McHenry Area Rotary Club on Thursday. “Five hundred-fifty houses burned below me.”

In early August, wildfires broke out on the Hawaiian island of Maui after a flash drought and winds from Hurricane Dora passing through south of Hawaii, The Associated Press reported. The flames swallowed most of Lahaina, and The Associated Press reported 115 deaths.

A family connection brought Dicker to Thursday’s McHenry Rotary Club meeting.

Dicker’s brother, David, is married to McHenry Area Rotary Club president Don Tonyan’s sister, Pat. When the wildfires hit, David and Pat connected Dicker to Tonyan, who wanted to help.

Dicker said he had met Tonyan before the wildfires hit, including at David and Pat’s wedding, but he didn’t know Tonyan well.

Over the past several weeks and after Tonyan’s group being able to help Dicker’s group, the two are very close.

“Don is the king of working magic,” Dicker said. “We’ll be blood brothers for a long time.”

The McHenry Area Rotary Club raised money during its annual Bands, Brews and BBQ fundraiser in August for the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise. Dicker is a member of the Lahaina Sunrise group, which Tonyan said he didn’t know before the wildfires hit.

“I’m extremely grateful our club was able to do something for another club,” said Tonyan, who presented Dicker with a $6,000 check for Lahaina Sunrise group during its meeting Thursday.

Dicker said the donation will go directly to Lahaina families, but he isn’t sure what comes next with rebuilding the town.

“I don’t know how long or what it’s going to take to rebuild it,” Dicker said.

Dicker recalled Thursday seeing widespread devastation in his hometown, and it’s still a difficult subject for him to talk about.

“It’s just really hard still, because I lost several friends,” Dicker said.

After a week without power, internet and running water among other utilities, Dicker departed Hawaii.

Dicker’s wife, Julie, was in Southern California visiting family when the wildfires hit, and he met up with her in Las Vegas.

“I have friends in Vegas,” Dicker said, adding that he spent two weeks there after being invited by friends.

After spending some time in Las Vegas, with another stop in Arizona to visit family, he headed to the McHenry area.

Dicker said he’s been traveling around the country because he wants to “not take too much from one person.”

“We’re basically hiding,” Dicker said.

He said a friend tearfully called him Wednesday night and told him, “come home, please.”

Dicker said he and his wife decided to head back to Hawaii after that phone call and will do so next week.

Dicker shared his frustration with the actions, or lack thereof, that authorities have taken in regard to the wildfires. He’s also upset by how the emergency sirens were handled as the wildfires approached.

He said he feels state and federal leaders could be providing more assistance to Lahaina residents. “We don’t think the government did enough,” Dicker said.

Even though he felt that leaders are not doing all they can to help, he said community members and neighbors have come together after the wildfire.

“All the people on the other side brought plate lunches,” Dicker said. “There’s so many good Samaritans.”