Pollock Pines woman victim of Maui fire
A Pollock Pines woman has been confirmed a victim of the deadly Maui wildfires.
The death of Theresa Cook, 72, was announced by Maui County on Tuesday, making Cook the first tourist identified as a victim of the blaze.
Melissa Cook, her daughter, posted on social media Aug. 17 that Theresa was staying at a Best Western Pioneer Inn in Lahaina before going missing, eventually updating the post to confirm her body had been found and identified.
News media reported Cook was last seen the weekend of Aug. 11 leaving the Best Western by foot traveling down Wharf Street and walking in front of Lahaina’s banyan tree wearing a sarong.
Melissa told reporters she contacted multiple agencies, including the Maui Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, FBI, Red Cross and several shelters, and submitted DNA samples in an attempt to search for her mother.
The Mountain Democrat reached out to Melissa, but did not get a response as of press time.
Total fatalities in the Maui wildfire total 115 as of Tuesday, Aug. 22, with upward of 1,100 people on the FBI’s list of those possibly unaccounted for after the wildfires destroyed the community of Lahaina. The incident is considered the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.
Maui authorities are requesting those with missing relatives to provide DNA samples to assist in identifying victims of the fire.
Twenty-one victims of the tragedy in Maui have been identified and their next of kin notified, as of Aug. 22.
Those individuals are:
Robert Dyckman, 74, of Lahaina
Buddy Jantoc, 79, of Lahaina
Melva Benjamin, 71, of Lahaina
Virginia Dofa, 90, of Lahaina
Alfredo Galinato, 79, of Lahaina
Donna Gomes, 71, of Lahaina
Conchita Sagudang, 75, of Lahaina
Danilo Sagudang, 55, of Lahaina
Rodolfo Rocutan, 76, of Lahaina
Jonathan Somaoang, 76, of Lahaina
Angelita Vasquez, 88, of Lahaina
Douglas Gloege, 59, of Lahaina
Juan Deleon, 45, of Lahaina
Clyde Wakida, 74, of Lahaina
Todd Yamafuji, 68, of Lahaina
Antonia Molina, 64, of Lahaina
Freeman Tam Lung, 59, of Lahaina
Theresa Cook, 72, of California
Joseph Schilling, 67, of Lahaina
Narciso Baylosis Jr., 67, of Lahaina
Vanessa Baylosis, 67, of Lahaina

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