After months of discussions with a Zuckerberg representative, Ako was successfully able to gain access to the property and identify and register the graves with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, though he was not able to locate remains of other ancestors, who he believes could be buried on the property.
"Hawaii Island is really the epicenter of the disease for the entire country," Kay Howe told SFGATE. In late 2008, her son contracted the disease while living in the Puna District of Hawaii Island at the age of 23. He went into a coma and was in the hospital for months; it changed his life forever.
The location plays a starring role in the couple's everlasting connection. They met serendipitously in Honolulu in 1986, at Halekulani Hotel, and have been together ever since. Hawaii was a continuous thread from both their sets of parents that braided into their own family's traditions.
The residence, nestled in Haiku, sits quietly among the greenery, its minimalist lines and sculptural roof taking cues from the landscape rather than imposing upon it.
"I think there's a lot of fear within the community... Just having ICE and HSI within our community is nerve wracking, and they've brought in a number of agents from the continent and from Honolulu to be a part of these operations."
HACA's Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship and the Ê»Äina to MÄkeke program was the giant kickstart I needed to make my dreams a reality.