The apocalyptic wildfires that raced across Maui have claimed at least 111 lives 鈥 a devastating number that鈥檚 expected to grow.

Many of the victims died while trying to escape the flames 鈥 including a 7-year-old boy and three members of his family who were found 鈥渋n a burned-out car near their home,鈥 according to a verified GoFundMe page.

鈥淥n behalf of our family, we bid aloha to our beloved parents, Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone, as well as our dear sister Salote Takafua and her son, Tony Takafua,鈥 the family said in a statement to CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now.

鈥淭he magnitude of our grief is indescribable, and their memories will forever remain etched in our hearts.鈥

The mass tragedy is expected to intensify as search crews keep sifting through the ashes of the 鈥渕any hundreds of homes鈥 destroyed by the infernos.

And the number of residents unaccounted for was 鈥減robably still over 1,000鈥 as of Wednesday, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told CNN.

But as the identities of more victims emerge, so do poignant tales about their lives. These are some of their stories:

A grandfather and musician who toured with Santana

Buddy Jantoc, 79, was living at a senior housing complex when flames swept through Lahaina, CNN affiliate KITV reported.

Jantoc was one of the first two victims that Maui County officials publicly identified.

鈥淢y papa was older, but for him to be taken from us that way,鈥 his granddaughter Keshia Alaka鈥檌 told KITV. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what鈥檚 the hardest to come to terms with.鈥

Jantoc sang, played the guitar and drums and even toured with Carlos Santana鈥檚 band, his granddaughter said. Most recently, he played music for local hula halls.

Alaka鈥檌 spoke with her grandfather often and will miss their phone calls 鈥 including 鈥渉is calls for the silly stuff,鈥 she told KITV.

鈥淏uying things for him, ordering online because he didn鈥檛 know how to work it or, you know, fighting with his iPhone because I had bought him a new one he didn鈥檛 know how to work that,鈥 she fondly recalled.

Iola Balubar, a hula instructor who performed with Jantoc, told KITV he was 鈥渁 good man, a good grandpa.鈥

鈥淲hatever time he had with his family, he treasured it,鈥 she said.

An animal lover who died shielding a beloved dog

Franklin 鈥淔rankie鈥 Trejos, 68, lived in the historic town of Lahaina for three decades before the inferno consumed his neighbourhood, his niece Kika Perez Grant said.

Trejos鈥 longtime friend and roommate told the family he and Trejos tried to save their property before the flames overwhelmed them, Perez Grant said.

The roommate suffered burns but managed to escape the chaotic scene. But Trejos was nowhere to be found.

Hours later, the roommate called Trejos鈥 family again 鈥渢o tell us he had found Uncle Frankie鈥檚 remains,鈥 Perez Grant said.

Trejos鈥 remains were found blocks away from his home on top of his roommate鈥檚 dog, whom he loved, his niece said.

鈥淯ncle Frankie was a kind man, a nature lover, an animal lover and he loved his friends and his families with this whole heart,鈥 his niece said.

鈥淗e loved adventure and was a free spirit.鈥

A woman who 鈥榓lways looked for the good in people鈥

Carole Hartley, who lived in downtown Lahaina, also died while trying to flee, her sister told CNN.

As Hartley and her partner, Charles Paxton, tried to escape the flames, they were separated by thick, black smoke that engulfed them, Donna Gardner Hartley said.

The powerful winds whipped by Hurricane Dora moved quickly and 鈥渒ept changing,鈥 Gardner Hartley wrote in a Facebook post.

Paxton 鈥渟aid they were inside a dark smoke (that) felt like a tornado and they could not see nothing they kept calling each others name,鈥 she wrote.

鈥淗e was screaming 鈥 鈥楻un run run Carole run.鈥 He eventually could not hear her anymore.鈥

Hartley鈥檚 partner was eventually found by his friends and treated for burn injuries, Gardner Hartley wrote.

He then organized a search group to look for Hartley. The group discovered her remains on the couple鈥檚 property over the weekend, Gardner Hartley told CNN.

Paxton believes Hartley turned back to help someone before she died, Gardner Hartley said in a statement.

A verified GoFundMe account has been established to support Paxton during his grief.

鈥淭his week has been the worse days of our life,鈥 Gardner Hartley said in her statement. 鈥淚t takes your breath away when you receive the call that your little sister鈥檚 remains were found on her property and that they are still waiting for DNA verification.鈥

Gardner Hartley remembered her sister as a special, loving person from a young age. The two would talk often, she said, and were always 鈥渁 phone call away.鈥

Hartley had lived on the island for 36 years, her sister said.

鈥淢y little sister has always looked for the good in people and always helped others,鈥 Gardner Hartley said. 鈥淪he will be missed by all that knew her for her fun personality, her smile and adventures.鈥

A beloved grandmother who tried to flee

The last time Melva Benjamin鈥檚 family heard from her, the 71-year-old grandmother was evacuating to a shelter with her partner on August 8, her granddaughter said.

After days of frantic searching, the family learned she had died in the fire, her granddaughter Tufalei Makua shared on Facebook.

鈥淚t is with great sadness and a heavy heart, we announce the loss of Melva Benjamin. We were informed this afternoon, Tuesday, Aug 15, 2023, that she perished in the Lahaina fires,鈥 Makua wrote.

鈥淲e appreciate the love and support that everyone has shown us during this difficult time. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we remember and honour her. We love you all.鈥

Matriarch was the 鈥榖ackbone鈥 of the familyDonna Gomes of Lahaina perished in the fire, officials said. Her granddaughter, Tehani Kuhaulu, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that Gomes was the backbone of the family.

The 71-year-old was a retired Maui Police Department public safety aide. She had plans to visit Las Vegas to celebrate her upcoming birthday, her granddaughter said.

鈥淪he loved to play poker and gamble,鈥 Kuhaulu said. 鈥淗er self-care was going to Las Vegas, any casino.鈥

She leaves behind two daughters, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Retiree 鈥榡ust makes us smile every day with his jokes鈥

Alfredo Galinato of Lahaina perished in the Maui fires, according to county officials. His sons spoke to KITV and said the 79-year-old tried to save their family home that he built.

鈥淲ith all his heart I know that he was trying to fight the fire to save our home,鈥 his son Joshua Galinato told KITV. 鈥淪o we can come back to our home as a whole family.鈥

Galinato鈥檚 sons searched for him and shared images of him on social media in the days after the fire, trying to find anyone who might know his whereabouts. But the family was later contacted by officials with devastating news.

鈥淚 miss everything about my dad right now. His personality is just straight funny. I mean he just makes us smile every day with his jokes,鈥 Joshua said. 鈥淚 just miss him.鈥

鈥淭he get-togethers, we鈥檒l be missing that,鈥 Galinato鈥檚 son John told KITV. 鈥淕atherings. He takes care of us a lot of times. He鈥檚 retired, but he just helps all the family. We鈥檒l be missing him, seeing his face, his smile, everything 鈥 all the moments.鈥

A verified GoFundMe account has been established by the family.

Most victims haven鈥檛 been publicly identified

The arduous task of identifying remains has been especially difficult because they鈥檙e largely unrecognizable and fingerprints are rarely found, the governor said.

Maui County confirmed the first group of victims鈥 names about a week after the catastrophic Lahaina fire started torching the historic town.

They included Benjamin, Galinato and Jantoc, as well as Virginia Dofa, 90; and Robert Dyckman, 74. All five victims lived in Lahaina.

Two Mexican nationals also died in the Maui wildfires, Mexico foreign minister Alicia Barcena said.

鈥淐onsular staff is providing assistance and accompaniment to their families,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e express our deepest condolences in this tragic situation.鈥