Welcome to the Evolving Man Project’s “Evolved Man of the Week” profile. Each week, we will highlight an individual who embodies what it means to be an evolved man, including famous and non-famous individuals. The world needs to know their stories and deeds. This week’s honor goes to hero Kekoa Lansford.
A year ago, Kekoa Lansford watched from a hilltop as the Maui wildfires turned his hometown to ashes. While everyone else was escaping, he charged into the fire, determined to save as many lives as possible. Today, the aftermath of that wildfire—one of the most lethal in U.S. history in more than a century—remains.
After helping panicked people escape the danger zone, Lansford still shares his concerns about the persistent risks after the fire. While Lahaina town burned, Kekoa Lansford was caught in the middle of the chaos.
Extreme heat and strong winds characterized the day before August 8th, 2023. A smell of thirsty weeds was already present in the air. Since 7:00 a.m., Kekoa had not gone back to sleep. He was trying to gather coconuts to sell on Front Street, a busy street with shops and restaurants, to tourists for $10 to $15 each.
He inspected his coconut stash, carefully arranged in a kiddie pool in his modest yard adorned with Italian cypress trees and colorful plumerias. His grandmother’s white house at 489 Ilikahi Street was now his, featuring slate-colored shingles and a covered front patio. He realized the wind had blown away the plastic pool, leaving coconuts on his land.
The Kaua’ula winds, as the locals call them, were strong enough to lift 3,000-pound dumpsters into the air. On this day, Hurricane Dora, a category-four storm developing in the Pacific Ocean, aggravated the situation. The arrival of Kaua’ula winds was not a common event. Over seven decades ago, a strong wind destroyed a historical Lahaina church steeple near Lansford’s residence. The sheer force of these winds could level a town.
Seeing the change in weather, Lansford traveled northeast on Lahainaluna Road. A mile away from home, he noticed smoke. At 6:36 a.m., a fire broke out in a field of dense, highly flammable grass near the road. They later learned that the wind had knocked down power lines, which ignited a brush fire that covered three acres. High temperatures and strong winds, fueled by climate change, contributed to a severe drought in the area, increasing the fire danger.
Firefighters took turns battling the blaze, dumping 23,000 gallons of water until only smoldering embers remained. The situation looked manageable, and by 9:00 a.m., the fire department declared the fire out and 100% contained. But that wasn’t the case. The blaze restarted and destroyed the town of Lahaina. That day, Lansford ended up saving many of his neighbors, driving them to safety, and suffering from the ill effects of smoke inhalation and the trauma of treating and rescuing burn and smoke victims.
His ancestors were the subject of his conversation that day. He’d act again, fueled by their support, should another fire occur despite our prayers. He reflects on Lahaina, his history, and the mentors who guided his youth. In his culture, men are inherently driven to protect and provide for their families. Kekoa Lansford’s heroism on that day led to saving countless people and staying true to his Hawaiian culture. A year on, the fight for himself, his people, and his community persists.
“We have a serious battle or issue on our hands as local people. Not just Hawaiians, but local people in Lahaina. And we need to stick together,”… “We suffered, our families suffered, and we smiled, and we stuck together, and the old timers and their stories can prove that. And we’re not looking for a handout. We’re looking for a hand up that we deserve.”
Today, we honor Kekoa Lansford as our Evolved Man of the Week.
Evolving Folks Project 