‘Maddie’ Donation Bucket Stolen From Irie Hawai’i Pahoa

A collection jar raising money for an eight-year-old Pahoa Elementary School student was stolen from Irie Hawai’i’s Pahoa location Monday.

The jar, which was estimated to have over $200 in funds to assist in Madisyn Tamaki’s medical expenses for a heart transplant, was taken just after 12:30 p.m. off the check-out counter at the store.

Store video surveillance caught the man, who appears to be in his mid-50’s wearing a dark and white bandana and a red polo shirt with dark pants. The man was also seen with a woman in a white top and red lava-lava.

Officials from the store said that the two arrived in a Gold Nissan Altima.

Jose Miranda, the Pahoa location manager, said Tuesday that all Irie Hawai’i locations are assisting the family by raising money for Tamaki’s operation costs through donations and a store promotion, noting that every bit counts. The store also assisted in sponsoring the “Heart to Heart for Maddie” benefit held earlier in the month.

“They finally found a heart donor, now they are just trying to get the money to go through with the surgery,” Miranda said Tuesday.

According to Miranda, the store has been collecting donations since January, when they were first approached to help the family with the benefit.

“When I got the letter for the benefit, the top half had a picture and stated who she was and what she was going through. I taped the top half to a bucket and people started donating. When I called them and told them I did that, they started putting buckets in stores throughout the East side,” Miranda explained.

Irie Hawai’i continues to accept donations at all of their locations, in addition to their promotion offering discounts for donations.

Anyone who has information about the identity of the either individuals should call the Hawai’i Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.