A tragic event happened here on Maui on April 19th, 2016. Stephen Schmidt is being charged for the murder of his estranged wife and attempted murder of two men that intervened. Schmidt was captured and is currently being tried.
We can go into more detail, but you can find that info elsewhere. The reason we want to bring this up is because two men risked their lives to help this woman in a Foodland grocery store. Knife-wielding murders might be more common in big cities on the mainland, but on Maui this kind of violence is incredibly rare. These men moved past the shock of it happening and took immediate action to help her. That kind of bravery and selflessness needs to be recognized, and these 2 men need our help during their recovery.
Both of these men have GoFundMe accounts seeking donations to help them through their medical expenses. Please consider splitting donations and giving to both James and Kip.
Scott Spencer “Kip” Stolsig
I’ve personally met Kip, and really enjoyed his company. He’s a great guy. Friendly, fun, and a true asset to Maui (and the world.) He works at Maui Zipline Company at the Maui Tropical Plantation, which will miss him while he recovers. Kip was slashed in the face and stabbed twice in the stomach. Please donate to help him through his recovery.
A few words from Maui Zipline Company:
“The Maui Zipline Company ohana extends our heartfelt appreciation to our guide, Kip (Spencer Stolsig), for his heroic efforts within our Maui community. Mahalo Kip. We are so proud of your courage and bravery. We love you! Aloha.”
James Reeves
He was stabbed in the chest and his eye was sliced. The chest wound came a quarter of an inch away from hitting his heart and punctured his left lung. The road to rehabilitation is going to be long and prevent him from going back to work, anytime soon, due to the extent of lung damage. Please donate to help him through his recovery.
Both of these men nearly died. Our prayers and positive energy goes to the family of Farias Schmidt and these 2 men. Let’s hope this is long remembered and violence like this doesn’t happen again.
