Help support Kamaka's Family Celebration of Life

Aloha and Talofa!

It’s with a heavy heart that I share the tragic news of my brother Kamaka’s passing earlier this month at the age of 42. He was a beloved father of four and deeply cherished by all who knew him.

This is the story of my long-lost brother, Kamaka—a man who profoundly changed my life.

I was born on O‘ahu but moved to Kentucky when I was just 3 years old. It wasn’t until I was 8 that I even learned I had an older brother. My mom told me his name was Kamaka, and from that moment, I was filled with curiosity: Did we look alike? Did he play sports? Who was older? (Spoiler: Neither of us wanted to be the "baby brother.")

We spoke once as teenagers. I remember his thick Hawaiian accent and how nervous I felt. Years later, when I got married at 27, I finally met him during my honeymoon on the Big Island. That first meeting was unforgettable. We laughed, bonded over our identical noses, and planned to go fishing. Turns out, “fishing” meant very different things to us. While I imagined a rod and line, he meant diving with a spear.

When Kamaka realized my version of fishing, he chuckled and said, “Oh no, brah! You sit there all day with that string and hook, and you don’t even know if you want to eat that fish. We go in the water, and we get our fish!”

The next day, he taught me to spearfish. It was humbling. I struggled with the fins, scared off the fish, and felt out of place, but Kamaka? He moved like he belonged to the ocean—graceful and effortless, like a scene out of National Geographic.

Over the years, Kamaka introduced me to a world in Hawai‘i that I’d been missing for too long. I even got to live with him for two months. During that time, he let me work on his landscaping crew, took me boar hunting, and taught me how to make his version of shoyu chicken (I made him a Kentucky Hot Brown in return). We went to the beach, played golf, lifted weights, and shared fish with the neighbors. Kamaka was the embodiment of aloha—generous, kind, and full of life. He inspired me so much that I named my business “Aloha Kentucky” in his honor.

We had plans to dive together next month. Instead, we’re grieving his loss. We’re left with so many unanswered questions, heartache, and confusion.

Kamaka had a talent for mechanics and shared that passion with his son, Tala. Together, they built remote-controlled cars, 4-wheelers, and custom tools. They had dreams of restoring Tala’s car—a 1984 Beetle—but that dream was left unfinished. Tala recently turned 17, and we’re rallying together to help him stay motivated to finish the project.

This GoFundMe is to help our family travel to the Big Island to celebrate Kamaka’s life and cover the costs of his services.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my story of Kamaka. He was a remarkable brother, father, and friend who left an indelible mark on everyone he met.

With gratitude,

Bert