Woman Who Ran Through Burning Field to Escape Maui Wildfire Dies After Almost 2 Months Later
Laurie Allen sprinted 100 yards through a burning field before she was rescued by emergency personnel and taken to a shelter
Laurie Allen, who escaped the devastating wildfire that swept through Hawaii in August, died Friday after spending nearly two months in intensive care.
Her sister-in-law, Penny Allen Hood, shared the news on a GoFundMe page created to support Laurie and her husband, Perry, following the Aug. 8 Maui fire that killed nearly 100 people and destroyed the seaside town of Lahaina.
"Laurie slipped away peacefully," Hood wrote of Laurie, a physical therapist’s administrative assistant, in an update on the campaign. "Her heart was tired, and she was ready."
Hood said that she was surrounded by her husband, two brothers, a sister, and other close family members during her final moments.
The Maui wildfire is the deadliest fire in the United States in over a century and devastated the region by destroying approximately 2,200 buildings, predominantly homes, per the Associated Press.
The fire formed when strong winds caused a Hawaiian Electric power line to fall, igniting dry foliage. Despite initial containment efforts, the fire rekindled and burned through the area.
As the AP reported, Laurie was driving away from the fire when she encountered a flaming tree blocking the path.
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She left her vehicle, sprinted 100 yards through a burning field, and was eventually rescued by emergency personnel and taken to a shelter.
Laurie underwent numerous operations to treat severe burns at Straub Medical Center in Honolulu.
Despite some initial progress, her organs recently began to fail, and a decision was made to take her off life support on Friday.
“There are no words to express how deeply I will miss her,” Perry Allen — an artist and Laurie's husband — told the New York Times on Saturday.
The GoFundMe for Laurie and Perry has raised over $135,000 as of Sunday afternoon.
"Her love for Perry kept her fighting through indescribable pain and merciless complications," Penny wrote on the page of Laurie.
She added: "It wasn’t until the experts told [Perry] they could do nothing else for her that he knew Laurie needs to go to another Paradise — one that won’t ever burn down!"
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