**since i’ve started this blog, i’ve met the most amazing people around this world. kids, adults, tourists, and just ordinary people. but there is one person i met that has changed my life. his name is Nohea’akoni Keali’imakai or “Nohea”. nohea sent me an email about a year ago asking me about go-naminori and how it’s built. we were exchanging emails for a while and i thought i was writing to some adult. come to find out, nohea was only 15 years old. he shoots photos, takes videos, writes, and does things only professionals are capable of. and you know what? it’s all self-taught. through emails, we started getting close and i was finding out a lot about this kid. a kid that has lived a thousand lives….
“what these eyes have seen”… gosh, till this day, i haven’t met anybody that has touched my life as nohea did. even though he’s still a kid, nohea has been to hell and back, more than once. he was born in the dominican republic and was pretty much on his own since 4. got abused by his own parents, in and out of foster care, raped, drugged, and living on the streets. he grew up on the west side of hawaii and had found a spark in life, through surfing. nohea’s expressed himself through books and poems he’s written. i’ve read his book along with a lot of poems he’s written. some made me laugh, but most made me cry.
i thought i had a rough childhood. i’ve met people that had worst. but up until now, nobody has had such a bad childhood as nohea. he’s been through it all. i’ve learned a lot from this kid. he’s made me appreciate everything that has happened in my life. even the bad. and taught me how to love and forgive. the two things i use to have a hard time doing. nohea’s my number 1 mail friend and like a little angel on my shoulder. the sad thing is that nohea has a HIV-related cancer and is fighting for his life. he’s in puerto rico getting treatment for his disease but still has the power to keep in touch with me. this is only part 1 of about 20 parts i have to talk about nohea. the kid with a strong message that i feel i have to share with everyone….. nohea, hang in there buddy…
