LAS VEGAS (KTNV — Today marks one year since the historic wildfires in Maui that killed more than 100 people and forced 12,000 from their homes.
The impact of the fires in Lahaina is still felt here in the valley, which is often referred to as the "Ninth Island."
Over the past year, I've kept in touch with a Las Vegas resident whose childhood home was destroyed in the fires.
Today, Jai Om Alboro is still working tirelessly to help the town rebuild.
"It's very tough on everybody there, for sure. Definitely a hard situation and a hard thing to cope with every day," he told me.
Jai has been living in Las Vegas for about eight years. With the help of many locals, he's managed to send more than 24 shipping containers packed with essential donations to Maui.
"The whole Nevada helped. They stepped up a lot," Jai said. "You know, we just hit another container. It's just landed, full of shoes from [a] donation out of California."
When I first talked to Jai right after the fires, he was just beginning his relief efforts. Despite his personal heartbreak, including the loss of one of his loved ones, Jai tells me he is dedicated to helping Lahaina recover.
"You know, my grandmother passed away. It was tough for me," he said.
Jai's grandmother's home, where he tells me so many family memories were made, has now been cleared out. He says he knows many lives have been turned upside down by the fires. He's seen it firsthand, with his own family and the entire Lahaina community.
WATCH: A Lahaina native in Las Vegas shares their terrifying experience of escaping the fires.
I wanted to know how many families Jai's heard of who left the island to come to Las Vegas in the aftermath of the fires.
"Vegas alone, I know for sure of at least four or five," Jai told me. "Leaving the island, I know for sure over 15 families."
Even with these personal challenges, Jai says a year later, he is still focused on the people of Lahaina.
"I'm trying to do another push. The push is going to be donations for the kupunas, which is the older folks," Jai said. "Everything from Depends diapers to, you know, paper towels."
His goal is to continue to support his beloved hometown as they work to recover.
"It's going to change. Hopefully they let the Lahaina community rebuild it, and we can rebuild it even stronger than what it was," he said. "Everybody comes together and we build a bigger, better Lahaina town."
