Jason Momoa warns ‘do not travel to Maui’ amid deadly wildfires
Jason Momoa delivered a strong message to his social media followers amidst the devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui. In an Instagram post on Friday, the “Aquaman” star shared a slideshow featuring videos of the fires, with the words “do not travel to Maui” written over it. Momoa, 44, emphasized that Maui is not a suitable vacation destination at the moment and urged his followers not to believe that their presence is necessary during this difficult time.
Acknowledging the support and donations from the community, Momoa expressed gratitude to those who have shown aloha to the affected community. The post, originally created by the nonprofit organization ʻĀina Momona, also highlighted the lasting impact of the natural disaster on Maui’s resources and called for visitors to stay away. It emphasized the need for the community to heal, grieve, and restore, and suggested that fewer visitors would help conserve the limited critical resources.
Momoa further shared posts showcasing the extent of destruction caused by the wildfires. However, he added an uplifting message, stating that the community will rise again, more connected, united, and determined. The Hawaiian-born actor, known for his pride in his roots, has frequently discussed his connection to his homeland since finding fame in Hollywood.
Momoa’s efforts to raise awareness about the fires in Maui are not unique among celebrities. Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, recently announced their plan to donate $100 million to support those affected by the wildfires. The fires have tragically claimed numerous lives, with many still reported missing. Additionally, thousands of homes on the island have been destroyed.
Expressing their condolences and concern, Bezos and Sánchez emphasized the importance of addressing the immediate needs of the affected families and the long-term rebuilding efforts that will be necessary. Despite the eventual decrease in attention, they stressed the ongoing support that will be required.
As of late Friday evening, local officials confirmed that the death toll from the wildfires had risen to at least 80 people.
Jason Momoa issued a stern message to his social media followers as deadly wildfires wreak havoc across the Hawaiian island of Maui.
“Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now,” the “Aquaman” star captioned a slideshow on Instagram Friday that featured video of the fires with the words “do not travel to Maui” written over it.
“Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply,” Momoa, 44, added.
“Mahalo to everyone who has donated and shown aloha to the community in this time of need.”
The “Fast X” star’s post, which was originally created by the nonprofit organization ʻĀina Momona, said tourists should stay away because the devastation from the natural disaster will have “a lasting island-wide impact on Maui’s resources.”
“Our community needs time to heal, grieve & restore,” the post also stated. “That means the less visitors on the island taking up critical resources that have become extremely limited the better.”
Momoa also shared additional posts that demonstrate just how much destruction has taken place.
However, he captioned one of the clips with an uplifting message that read, “we will rise again, more connected, united, and determined.”
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Momoa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and he has always proudly talked about his roots following his rise to fame in Hollywood.
In November 2022, the “Slumberland” star stripped down on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” wearing only traditional Hawaiian malo that showed off his butt cheeks.
“I actually don’t even like wearing clothes anymore,” he said at the time, adding that he wears the loincloth “every day” and “all the time.”
Like Momoa, other stars have used their platforms to try and raise awareness about the fires in Maui.
Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, announced on Friday that they plan to donate $100 million to those affected.
“We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated,” the billionaire CEO, 59, and former broadcaster, 53, said in a joint statement on Instagram at the time.
“The immediate needs are important, and so is the longer term rebuilding that will have to happen — even after much of the attention has subsided.”
As of late Friday evening, local officials reported that the death toll had risen to at least 80 people.
