WWE Legend The Rock, Oprah Donate $10M to Hawaii Wildfire Relief, Start People's Fund
August 31, 2023
WWE legend and Hollywood star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and longtime talk show host, author and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey announced the creation of the People's Fund of Maui to benefit those impacted by the recent wildfires in Maui on Thursday.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, The Rock said he and Oprah are starting the fund with a donation of $10 million, and he encouraged others to donate as well:
Dwayne Johnson @TheRockWe're honored to announce the People's Fund of Maui, a fund putting money directly in the pockets of those who were affected by the recent wildfires. <br> <br>As <a href="https://twitter.com/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oprah</a> and I have seen firsthand, the impacts of these wildfires have been devastating, and we're here to ensure with 100%… <a href="https://t.co/iH6cPwbQ3k">pic.twitter.com/iH6cPwbQ3k</a>
The Rock noted that one of the features of the fund is that any impacted adult in the Lahaina and Kula areas of Maui County will be eligible to receive $1,200 per month while recovering from the devastation.
Earlier this month, wildfires raged through the Hawaiian island of Maui, killing at least 115 people and leaving many others missing or displaced.
The Rock was born in Hayward, California, in 1972, and moved frequently due to the lifestyle of his father, WWE Hall of Fame pro wrestler Rocky Johnson.
He spent plenty of time in Hawaii, not only because of his father's commitments, but also because his mother's side of the family founded and ran the NWA Polynesian Pro Wrestling promotion on the islands.
The Rock's grandfather, WWE Hall of Famer Peter Maivia, primarily ran the company until his death in 1982, and then his grandmother, Lia Maivia, was in charge through the promotion's closure in 1988.
Oprah has ties to Hawaii as well, having owned a significant amount of property in Maui over the years.