Survivors of past Hawaii lava recall despair and opportunity

HONOLULU – A volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has destroyed more than 600 homes since it began spraying lava out of a vent on a residential street last month.

The newly homeless aren't alone: the Kilauea volcano has covered large parts of the island multiple times over the past century.

People who lived through past eruptions speak of profound despair at losing homes and their way of life but also about new opportunities and perspectives they gained.

Mary Dressler says losing her home gave her an incentive to work harder and get back on her feet.

When her house burned in 1990, she moved with her husband and their two young daughters into the video rental store they operated. They built a new home about eight months later.