Help Brandi Rebuild After Unimaginable Loss

I’m Larry Schlesinger, a board-certified plastic surgeon here in Honolulu, Hawaii. For approximately eight years, I've had the pleasure of working alongside Brandi Yoshida at my medical center. Both of us have received training at the renowned Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, albeit at different times. This prestigious institution has provided us with invaluable learning experiences.

Brandi is exceptionally intelligent, technically skilled, and possesses a heart of gold. However, she would readily admit that she likes animals more than people! Everyone here who works with Brandi loves her, and she loves us back. We consider ourselves a family, and in a good family, we care for one another—supporting each other during physical and emotional challenges.

On October 29, 2025 a tragic house fire took the lives of her beloved partner, Rizza, her client/hanai grandma, and her fur babies — the family she built and loved deeply. Rizza was the love of her life- she was Brandi's pillar of strength and my team and I have gotten to know her sweet soul as she visited the office often, along with their adorable fur babies. Rizza fought bravely in the burn unit, but despite every effort, did not survive. On top of this unimaginable grief, Brandi also lost her home and all of her belongings in the fire. While possessions can be replaced, the depth of her loss is beyond words.

Brandi has been part of my medical team, my work family for quite some time. For years she continues to bring warmth, care, and positivity to every patient and coworker she meets. Her compassion and strength have touched so many of us, and now it’s our turn to support her through this heartbreaking time.

All donations will go directly toward helping Brandi and her mother Denise rebuild their life — from funding a safe, new place to stay and covering daily essentials, to handling memorial expenses and giving her the time and space she needs to heal.

Please consider donating or sharing this page. Every contribution, message, and share makes a difference. Together, we can surround Brandi with the same compassion she’s always shared with others and help her find her footing again after this devastating loss.

With love and gratitude,

Dr. Larry Schlesinger & Team