Ex-Firefighter Saves Coworker and Piglet from Hawaii Flood

When Chris Greer got a frantic call from his coworker trapped in floodwaters at Laulau Solutions farm in Waialua, Hawaii, his firefighter instincts kicked in immediately. "She just called me screaming, like 'we need help!,' and I was like, let's do it," Greer recalled.

The former firefighter knew the taro farm's lo'i patches like the back of his hand, which proved crucial as he navigated the dangerous currents Saturday to reach his stranded colleague. The rushing water made the rescue challenging, but Greer's familiarity with the terrain guided him through.

In a moment that mixed heroism with heartwarming compassion, Greer grabbed the woman's pet piglet, placed it on a surfboard, and pushed it to safety. The entire rescue took about 30 minutes, but everyone made it out safely.

Farm owner Joey Cadiz wasn't as fortunate with all his animals. The flood claimed one pig and two chickens, while a farm truck and lawnmowers were tossed around and destroyed.

The damage extended to the farm itself, with part of one taro patch destroyed and equipment losses totaling around $6,000. "Every time something like this happens, it sets us back quite a bit," Cadiz said.

Why This Inspires

Laulau Solutions is more than just a farm. It's a nonprofit dedicated to teaching the community about sustainability through hands-on experience.

Volunteer Leialoha Cambonga sees beyond the devastation. "It also inspires us to come together and bring it back to life and find the solutions to maybe mitigate some of the damage in the future," she said.

Cadiz is now calling for volunteers to help clean and rebuild the farm over the coming days. The community response represents exactly what the nonprofit teaches: working together to create sustainable, resilient solutions.

One rescue became a reminder that when disaster strikes, people show up for each other.