Lahaina's Spirit Endures: The Miraculous Recovery of Lost Sculptures

A Community's Strength in the Face of Unimaginable Loss

Charred sculpture “Painting Music” by Angela Mia, pictured among the rubble of the Lahaina fire. Photo by Jock Armour.

My friend,

It's been just over a year since devastating wildfires swept through the historic town of Lahaina on Maui, leaving behind unimaginable loss and heartbreak. Thousands of residents were displaced, left with nothing but the memories of their beloved town. Since that tragic day, the community has been tirelessly working to rebuild, driven by a spirit of resilience and unity.

Lahaina, long celebrated for its vibrant heritage and historical significance, mourned the loss of countless community treasures. Among them were the centuries-old banyan tree, the colorful row of small businesses along iconic Front Street, and the diverse collection of artwork that had come to define Lahaina's lively art scene.

I'll never forget the email I received from Maui resident and my now friend, Greg Burns.

His story moved me to tears. My heart had been heavy with concern for my friends and the community in Lahaina, and Greg's message came just a few months after the fire, when the weight of the tragedy was still so fresh.

Greg shared how he had lived in Lahaina for over 20 years, raising his family with his wife in a town they deeply loved. In the fire, he lost both his home and his office—a 110-year-old structure perched on piers over the ocean, standing right next to Signature Gallery, where many of my sculptures were displayed. Like so many treasures, they, too, were thought lost when the gallery burned to the ground.

In his office, Greg had kept precious memorabilia and personal treasures—items passed down through his family, his personal art collection, and an impressive assembly of surfboards. When he and his wife were finally granted access to the site, they were devastated to find that almost nothing remained. But they knew the ocean, with its high tides and shifting sands, might have claimed some of their belongings. As they began to search the shallow waters, hoping to recover anything at all, they noticed something shiny poking from the sand. With a diving mask on, Greg carefully dug out a fully intact sculpture of a girl blooming from the iris of a tall flower.

"It was so meaningful what was revealed," Greg told me, "It was the first moment we felt like things were going to get better."

As he pulled out the bronze figure, another sculpture began to emerge—a girl and her horse. From there, Greg discovered two more sculptures. These four pieces—"Bloom," "Lucky's Girl," "Arise," and "Harmony"—had miraculously survived the fire that destroyed Front Street and months submerged in the ocean. Incredibly, my signature remained legible on each piece.

Reading about the recovery of my lost sculptures from the ocean was an emotional experience, to say the least. I quickly decided that the sculptures should not be restored to their original state. Instead, I chose to preserve them as they were found, adorned with the unique patina formed from fire soot and ocean minerals, and pieces of seaweed entwined around fragments of coral. Apart from emptying the seawater from "Lucky's Girl" to prevent leakage, the sculptures have remained untouched since the devastation.

To me, these sculptures symbolize the enduring spirit of the Lahaina community. They stand as a testament to the resilience and strength of the people who call Lahaina home.

As the recovered sculptures begin a new chapter at the Milan Art Gallery in Sarasota, Florida, I am humbled that my art, much like the human spirit, has the opportunity to endure and encourage, even in the face of unimaginable loss.

The people of Lahaina have shown us what it means to rebuild, not just with bricks and mortar but with love, hope, and an unbreakable bond that unites a community. These sculptures now carry a more profound meaning—a story of survival, of a town that refuses to be defined by its scars but by its strength.

I carry Lahaina's spirit with me, as I know so many of us do. As we continue to support one another in the ongoing journey of recovery, let us remember that from the ashes, beauty can still rise.

If you feel moved to help, please consider donating to the Hua Momona Foundation, which is providing much-needed support to the families still displaced by the fires.

With all my love and respect,

Angela Mia