MAUI, Hawaii — The family of Maui firefighter Tre’ Evans-Dumaran, who was swept into a storm drain and out to sea on Jan. 27, confirmed his passing on Saturday morning, according to a Maui County news release.

“We want to thank the entire community for the outpouring of love during this time,” stated the firefighter’s mother, Chelsie Evans, in the release. “My heart tells me that Tre’ wants to say thank you for loving his family, his fire ohana, his friends during this time. He’d want people to keep giving blood, to keep doing your part as a hero, in the way he lived every day on Earth.”

Fire Chief Brad Ventura and Evans-Dumaran’s firefighter ohana are with his family for support. On Molokai, Mayor Richard Bissen, Jr. offered his condolences to the family.

During recent heavy rains, 24-year-old Evans-Dumaran was with a crew responding to flooded residences on Oluea St. in Kihei when he was swept into a four-foot-wide storm drain and swept nearly 800 yards to where the drain opens to the ocean. Fellow firefighters helped to resuscitate him after which he was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center.

The family requests privacy during this time.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.