DENVER (KDVR) — A Denver native recently returned to Colorado after surviving days in the Maui wildfires.

Jack Rhue, or “Denver Jack” as he was known in Lahaina, still has the scars to show what he went through. He was in the center of the fires on the Hawaiian island. He was one of many who didn’t have much warning about the fire coming.

“I went through hell, and I mean hell. I was in the epicenter, the center of it. I swear I was coming home in a body bag to Denver,” Rhue said.

He was experiencing homelessness at the time the flames erupted, living with a group of about four people. After the fires started, he told the group they needed to get out and get to safety, but the flames kept following them.

“The winds were 80 miles an hour for two and a half days, and you just wouldn’t believe it. Tree after tree, house after house. It’s like a nuclear bomb exploded there, that’s what it looked like,” Rhue said.

Trapped for days in the fire zone

No one could get to them for days and there was no way out. The downed power lines trapped survivors in the fire zone.

After two and a half days, police were finally able to get him and his group over to the emergency operations center.

He was then able to connect with his stepdaughter, who lives on another part of the island.

“She immediately came over from Kihei, but she was in traffic for two hours to get up to me. And then when I saw her pull up, I just started crying, I did when I saw her. I just thanked God,” Rhue said.

His family is raising money to help him recover. The GoFundMe is here.

He feels grateful to be alive and said he owes that life to those who helped him along the way.