3/18/06
Bruce Fehring's Letter

"In this life, I was loved by you."
Brother IZ

In the early morning hours of March 14, 2006 Aurora, Alan and Rowan were all too quickly taken from us, along with four other dear souls. Their passing leaves us with huge aches in our hearts. At the same time we are filled with immense gratitude and love for them and the time we shared together.

Later in the spring we will want our treasured community to gather in their memory. We will let you know when that will be. Your concern and kindness is deeply appreciated.

Honoring Aurora and Alan's exceptionally giving natures, we are asking what they would want-that you donate to Amicus Foundation www.amicus.org in their name. To go directly to the Kauai Flood Victims Fund (which benefits children orphaned by the 2004 tsunami ), click on www.amicusfoundation.org/amicus-2/kauai-flood/index.htm

Attached is a photo of Aurora, Alan, and Rowan, along with a copy of this text. Please feel free to forward this to those who you would like to share this with. Please forgive us if you have already received this message; it is being mailing to various compilations of friends and family. Mahalo nui loa.

In loving gratitude,
Cyndee, Bruce, Brianna, Dylan, Kai and Galen Fehring

"Upward to thee strive the love of my soul, Upward to thee flow the stream of my love. May they sustain thee, May they enfold thee, In heights of hope In spheres of love." Rudolf Steiner

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3-14-2006
Aloha,

A day of sadness has fallen upon our neighbors in the Kilauea Flood this morning. Bruce & Cyndi Fehring are praying that 9 of his family members (7 children, 1 grandchild and son-in-law) will be found. They live 4 houses down from us and ReBop goes to school with Galen & Kai. Their house was swept away.

My brother Jonathan and his family Claudia, Nikko, & Vivian have been evacuated and await the fate of their house and animals. (they had joined the search and rescue when they were evacuated and not allowed to go back for the dogs) I can't get to them as the road is washed out. ReBop and I are fine.

Please take a moment of silence for all of the people who lost their lives and possessions in this storm.

Mahalo,
Michele & ReBop

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3-15-2006
"Update"

Miracles DO happen! ReBop's buddies were spending the night at a friends house when their house was swept away. Their siblings are still missing and presumed dead. The body of the Fehrings' son-in-law was found one mile out to sea. My bother & his family are still not allowed back into their home because a second dam is full and unstable. The road is washed out but we stocked up on supplies. The wall of water & debris came within 200 feet of our property and made a hard left down into the valley to the sea.

I hope everyone is having fun with The New Cars line up. Life is too short not to have fun in the moment. Our island has just reminded us of that.

Mahalo for your thoughts, prayers, and meditations.

Michele & ReBop

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Noon 3/16/6

The highway reopened so ReBop had to go back to school. As we drove on the available patch of highway, I finally got to see the path the flood took. I was not prepared for the devastation or the tightening of my stomach. What had been a think jungle forest was now a 100 yard wide mud river bed from the hills down to the ocean.

I dropped ReBop off and went to check out our property (I was cut off from it for days). Part of me was relieved. Even though the water technically came to within 200¹ of our property, it could NEVER reach us. There is a beautiful valley in front and a gulley to our left. The gulley is now a gorge with a raging waterfall. The river in the valley is full of debris and there are pieces of house and clothing in the trees and brush. Log jams 40¹ high may be gravesites. They have recovered 2 of the bodies. These are our neighbors and we mourn with them. A stared down at the search and rescue teams, with their dogs, and up at the many search helicopters. I can¹t imagine anyone surviving such force and destruction.

I am jittery and trying to be brave. We were just given another flash flood warning and expect 4 inches of rain in the next hour. If they close the road again my teenaged Baby is on the other side. I want to go get him right now but he is taking finals and would be embarrassed. I know I am over reacting but, in the car this morning, I still went over our emergency separation plan. Jon & Claudia (my brother) live on the other side of the disaster. They are back home and can walk to get him. We have determined that their house will be safe even if BOTH dams break. They may end up with riverfront propertys, but they¹ll be safe.

As I¹m writing, I can smell my Bella Donna plant. Kauai is SO beautiful but we have all been reminded that Mother Nature is unpredictable.

My neighbor, John Hawthorne, ran out to watch the 50¹x100¹ wall of water crash through his back forest. He ran through our property to the cliff overlooking the ocean. This is what he saw at sunrise.

"I stared out at the sunrise on the ocean. At the river mouth , pushing into the ocean, was a half mile trail of logs, house pieces, clothing, and toys. A coastguard boat was searching through it but behind them.. a rainbow."