The wildfires that are devastating Maui, Hawaii right now are hitting close to home for Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Roman Wilson, who hails from Kihei, on the island of Maui. Already, the wildfires are being described as perhaps the biggest natural disaster in the state's history by Gov. Josh Green.
Roman Wilson is entering his 4th year with the Wolverines
Wilson, who is entering his fourth season in Ann Arbor, caught 25 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns last season.
His native Hawaii is being devastated by wildfires
As a Hawaiian native, Wilson has been playing close attention to the ongoing crisis, and it's certainly hitting close to home for him.
“Just coming out of practice, checking my phone and people are texting me like, ‘Are you OK? Is your family OK?’ ” Wilson said. “And I’m just like, I can’t — it’s awful.”
“People I grew up with, their homes are gone,” Wilson continued. “People are asking me like, ‘What can I do to help? Like, what do they need?’ They need everything. Your car’s gone, your house is gone, all your belongings, everything they owned, it’s gone. A place that I grew up, I can’t go back and visit. Like, it’s just gone. There’s nothing there.”
As the Wolverines continue preparations for their upcoming season, Wilson understandably has other things on his mind besides just football.
“It’s been funny to say, I’ve had a lot of bad stuff happen in my life,” he said. “I mean, it’s hard to deal with. I don’t think it’s gonna really hit me until I go back and visit and just see how much it’s changed. Some of it’s still going on right now. Man, it just sucks.”
TL;DR (too long didn't read)
- Hawaii is being devastated by wildfires that have destroyed thousands of buildings and taken dozens of lives
- Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson hails from Maui, not far from where the destruction is taking place
- Wilson's heart is understandably heavy as he talked about the devastation in his home state
Bottom Line: We pray for the best for Hawaii
Some of the photos and videos emerging from the destruction caused by the fires in Hawaii are very difficult to look at.
We're hopeful that the disaster can soon be under control and that the healing and rebuilding process can begin as soon as possible.
