South Kona family begins rebuilding following Hokena house fire

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A South Kona family is beginning the difficult process of rebuilding after a house fire destroyed nearly everything they owned, including cherished memories tied to a daughter they lost to suicide.

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The fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. Sunday at a home in Hōkena. Hawaiʻi Island police said the cause remains under investigation.

Seven family members lived in the home. Six were there when they heard popping noises before flames quickly spread, forcing everyone to escape.

“I went into the passenger side of our truck to try to move them,” homeowner Leina’ala Sleightholm said. “The fire was so hot.”

Family member Nevaeh Ikeda said she had just picked up her infant daughter from the home when she received a call roughly 30 minutes later that everything had burned down.

Everyone escaped safely, but one dog suffered burns and a family cat is still missing.

For Sleightholm, the home represented more than just a place to live. After losing her 15-year-old daughter to suicide in 2021, the family was forced to leave the home they had rented for 12 years. Moving into the South Kona house marked the beginning of a new chapter.

“We moved in there and it was like peace for us,” Sleightholm said.

That sense of peace was shattered by Sunday’s fire.

The family estimates they lost about $70,000 worth of belongings, not including two vehicles.

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Among the hardest losses were keepsakes belonging to Sleightholm’s daughter, including her bento box, Hydro Flask and glasses.

As the family sifted through the ashes, they expected to find nothing after authorities told them the home was unsalvageable. Instead, they discovered what they called a small miracle: her daughter’s handprints survived inside a burned box.

“The paper was burned all the way around, but her right and left handprints were there,” Sleightholm said.

She also recovered her late father’s class ring and her wedding rings, items she said hold irreplaceable sentimental value.

While the family continues searching through the rubble, they’re also receiving an outpouring of support from friends, neighbors and strangers. Ikeda said the generosity reflects the kindness her in-laws have always shown others.

“They’re such giving people,” Ikeda said. “They’ve always been there for others. Seeing everyone show up for them has been very heartwarming.”

Sleightholm said the family has received donations of clothing, food and financial support and is grateful for every act of kindness.

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A GoFundMe has also been created to help the family rebuild.