i got to the north shore pretty early. waves weren’t that good but i didn’t want to drive back to town in the traffic so i surfed anyway. little by little the waves started to get better and better. barrel after barrel i started getting happier and happier. 7 barrels later, traffic slows, i drive home, and was happy for the rest of the day. then afternoon surf, then a great dinner. life is good.
today is exactly 3 years since 3/11. here are some photos i took of our missions. driving from wakayama to tohoku took 16 hours or so. i was pretty nervous because i had no idea what to expect. but when we passed by mt. fuji, i felt secure and got power from my favorite mountain in the world.
watching the military digging up bodies was hard to watch. debris everywhere and it looked like a war zone.
we would pass by cities after cities all destroyed by the power of the ocean.
after our first mission, we knew we couldn’t just leave with what we saw. so we packed the vans with supplies and went on mission after mission.
i never felt so helpless in my life. i actually was wishing i was there when the tsunami hit so i could have helped.
i met Kimura-san and his 2 beautiful daughters right after the tsunami. they had lost their mom, brother, house, and everything they owned. i remember being so sad after hearing his story.
and the powerful fishermen of Kobochihama! it was amazing to see them rebuilding their village by themselves.
cutie Hiyori-chan i met when she was 9 years old. she lost her father and house. i don’t like to bring it up over and over but i think that people must know, and must learn from this little amazing girl. she has taught me a lot and i think about her everyday.
mission after mission just seeing things you would only see in hollywood movies.
and at these hard times, the families still reached out and invited into their homes. Naomi-san and Ryoko-san family is so amazing!
and Kiku-chan. omg, i can’t write about what she lost because i will cry myself to sleep. this amazing woman will be in our hearts forever.
when Kimura-san brought his 2 daughters to hawaii, it was a dream come true for me.
and Hiyori-chan coming to hawaii was a dream too.
all i remember about this night was i was so emotional as i sat on the same table of real survivors. Kimura-san, Ryoko-san, Kiku-chan, Saito-san, and I didn’t know each other before the tsunami. now we are friends, and each one of these people has a place in my heart. i love these guys and we will always be ONE!
as 3 years pass, 267,000 people remain evacuees. most still living in temporary housing. 15,884 people died. 2,636 still are missing. 3,048 people committed suicide for physical and mental stress. and to make it worst, the nuclear plant in fukushima still remains uncertain.
to my friends in tohoku. keep on staying strong! i miss you guys and will see you soon. We Are One.
