NOHEA AKONI LAHAINA has changed my life. he made me realize what’s important and what’s not important in life. he taught me to appreciate everything i have. he made a positive impact on my life. he made my life a happier one. since the day i met him more than a year ago, there hasn’t been one day i haven’t thought about him. we’ve been exchanging emails a lot and even though he’s been on his death bed fighting HIV, he’d always respond promptly. so when i came back from tahiti and haven’t gotten an email from nohea in a week, i kind of knew what happened. i was scared, i was worried, and i was sad. was i ever going to know what happened? would i ever hear from nohea again? that’s been bothering me on my mind for the past week….
then yesterday, i got the notice from one of his loved ones. Nohea had passed away on november 24th in a hospital in puerto rico. he died from complications of a heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. at 16 years old, he was way too young. getting that email was hard for me, and still is. i’m lost for words. but i know that there are others out there that nohea has touched and that should know what happened. i’m going to miss talking to my little angel. i’m going to miss the positive energy he use to give me. i’m going to miss reading his poems and stories that made me laugh and cry. and i’m going to miss the little surfer kid that made me realize i had and have a great life… i will never ever forget the kid that turned something so bad into something so good….. bye bye nohea…..
**if you don’t know nohea’s story, check out some earlier blog posts.
My Mail Friend that Touched my Heart: Nohea’akoni Keali’imakai
The Wizzard of Harlem- by Nohea’akoni Keali’imakai
