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<div>In Memory of Jai: Aid for Supportive Angels
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<div>Jai, a 22 year old young man, a beacon of light, took his own life after years of mental health and addiction struggles that dramatically escalated after becoming a victim of invasive cyber bullying.
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<div>The National Institute of Health (NIH) published research in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), after studying both in-person and cyber bullying. They find that [study] participants who experienced cyberbullying were more than 4 times as likely to report thoughts of suicide and attempts as those who didn’t.
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<div>Jai took steps, unbeknownst to his family, to become an organ donor a month before parting this world. His precious gifts gave life and hope to 6 recipients and their families, a true testament to his compassionate and caring nature.
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<div>Along this journey, there were organizations and people who supported, coached, counseled and loved him. Some went above and beyond their 'jobs' to help him and it is those loving people who care so selflessly that inspired us to create this GoFundMe campaign.
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<div>In honor of Jai, we want to bring awareness to the pressures of our youth and give back to those who supported him and so many others currently navigating similar journeys.
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<div>The following organizations are meaningful to our family and where we will distribute funds raised, as appropriate.
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<div>Follow the links if you wish to learn more.
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<div><a href="https://www.activeminds.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Active Minds</a> | <a href="https://legacyoflifehawaii.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Legacy of Life Hawaii</a> | <a href="https://www.lopafoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LOPA Foundation</a>
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<div><a href="https://www.addictionwellness.com/stc-foundation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St Christopher's Foundation</a> | <a href="https://www.sisuhealingpartners.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SISU Healing Partners</a>
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<div>Your kindness and compassion go a long way, and we are eternally grateful for any support you can provide to help us honor Jai.
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<div>E hoʻomaha me ka maluhia, e Jai Boy. E aloha mau loa mākou iā ʻoe, a mākaʻikaʻi iā ʻoe loa
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<div>Rest in peace, Jai Boy.
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<div>We will forever love you and deeply cherish you
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<div>With Heartfelt Gratitude,
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<div>Jai’s ‘Ohana
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In Memory of Jai: Aid for Supportive Angels

Aloha nui kākou,<br /><br />It is with deep love and a tender heart that we announce the passing of our father, Alvin Ekikiela Chong Jr. in the early morning of April 1, 2021 at the University of Washington Medical Center. While we honor his given birth name, many of us will remember him as Chongie. <br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_1618183252469338_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_1618183252469338_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><span style="font-size:1.0625rem;">On February 16th, 2021 he was admitted to ER at the North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital (NHCH) after he was found collapsed on the floor at home. Doctors at NHCH performed CT scans, blood work and a colonoscopy and found a mass blockage in his intestines that put a lot of pressure on his colon causing extreme pain and discomfort. This pain made it very difficult for him to eat any solid foods or drink any liquids. In the following days a Endoscopic UltraSound was done to retrieve a sample tissue from nodules scattered throughout his peritoneal cavity to determine if it was cancerous.<br /></span><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_161818059452485_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_161818059452485_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />On February 20th, we received the heartbreaking news that the mass was indeed an indication of Stage IV Cancer and that they were unable to determine the type of cancer he was battling with at this time. Given these circumstances, he was released from the hospital and we were told that his condition was terminal and that there was nothing else they could do for him at NHCH. As a family we knew that we didnʻt have much time to figure out what to do from this point on. Fortunately, we were are able to reach out to Dr. Kaitlyn Wong of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) for a second opinion and schedule an appointment. Our father made the difficult decision to leave the people and place he truly loved in hopes of getting the help that he needed so that he could return back home to Waimea. <br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_1618180718229577_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_1618180718229577_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />On March 2nd, both our mom and dad along with Kela arrived in Seattle, Washington and checked in to the Residence Inn Marriott Hotel in Seattle just down the road from SCCA. During the first week in Seattle, SCCA were able to conduct their own CT Scans, blood tests and Colonoscopy procedures. By the second week they were able to confirm that the mass was located in his Pancreas and that he had Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer. Due to the extensive progression of the cancer, the doctors were unable to offer surgery as an option but were able to offer two chemotherapy treatment plans as an option because his blood counts were favorable and his health seemed to be in fair condition. His chemotherapy treatment was scheduled to begin on April 6th. Both Aniku and his girlfriend, Lauren flew up to Seattle at this time to help provide additional support for the ʻohana.<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_1618181382622201_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_1618181382622201_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />In the following weeks from March 10 - 25 we focused on keeping his hydration and daily nutrition intake up, we took short walks outside for exercise, and provided him love, care and support every day and night until he could begin his treatment. Unfortunately, he continued to struggle throughout the entire process with extreme discomfort due to the mass blockage which caused a lot of pain in his stomach, lack of sleep and loss of weight. But he continued to fight every single day. <br /><br />On March 26th, he checked in to the University of Washington Montlake Hospital for his last  procedure to input a port in preparation for his treatment. The procedure was a success but his low blood pressure however, kept him in the hospital and was moved to the Oncology Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to do further testing. Due to COVID-19 we were unable to visit him during this time at the hospital in the days to come. By the third day in ICU, doctors learned that there was damage to his kidney and heart and for the next three days medication/antibiotics were administered and fluid was removed from the abdomen to relieve pressure from his kidney. His blood pressure continued to remain low which is a possible indication of infection yet his blood counts showed no signs of such infection.<br /><br />On March 31, he was taken in to do a CT Scan that showed small air pockets in his intestines indicating that there was a pinhole somewhere in his intestines. ICU doctors met with surgeon doctors to determine next steps to fix it. Surgeon doctors concluded that the pinhole was too small to locate and that his low blood pressure levels would put him at a high risk and not survive the surgery. We immediately received a phone call from the hospital that afternoon to come to the hospital as soon as possible. Unfortunately, he never made it to his scheduled chemotherapy treatment and passed away peacefully at 4:18 AM the following morning on April 1st, 2021. He took his last breath with our mother and his two oldest sons Kela and Anikū at his side. His body still remains in Seattle as we are in the process of bringing him back home to Hawaiʻi. <br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_1618181764733288_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_1618181764733288_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />Our father often spoke of his love for his ʻāina, his community and his ʻohana in Waimea and Waipiʻo. It was a story of love for the people and places that raised him as a little boy into the incredible father and husband that he had become. It is a story that he continued to tell until the very last days of his life as his doctor shared with us during his short time in ICU. Regretfully, it was not the ending that any of us wouldʻve imagined for him. But we are honored and grateful to have the opportunity to bring him back home to his piko, the place that he always hoped to return to.<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_1618182371583519_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_1618182371583519_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />We know that these last few years have been incredibly difficult for many ʻohana, please know that to ask for kōkua during this difficult time does not come lightly for us. It is with much aloha and humility that we have decided to share our story and create this fundraiser. Any donations we receive will be used to help cover medical expenses, transportation expenses, housing expenses, funeral service expenses and most importantly to help bring our dad home so that he can hoʻi i ka piko and finally rest with his ʻohana. We will be accompanying our dad, Chongie, on his transport back home to Hilo on Monday, April 12. And we will continue to update you guys with dates for family viewing and Chongieʻs celebration of life. <br /><br />We have lived simple, our ʻohana<br />We know how to care for kupuna, cook for ʻohana, and feed keiki. <br />We know how to work hard, love hard, and play hard.<br />We know how to help others, serve others, and provide for others.<br />We have been blessed with enough. <br /><br />To our family, friends, and loved ones,<br />we hear your words and feel your heart.<br />Our ʻohana have shifted our position and accept the full blessings of another.<br /><br />We welcome prayers of love, peace, and comfort.<br />Prayers are meaningful in so many ways.<br />We will receive your kind thoughts of supporting our family in Heavenly Fathers plan. <br />Families can be together forever in Heavenly Fatherʻs Plan. <br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/55231320_1618186113555306_r.jpeg" alt="55231320_1618186113555306_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br />Mahalo nui for taking the time to hear our story and mahalo to those who have shared their aloha, pule, text messages, emails, calls and donations with us during this time. If you cannot donate, we wholeheartedly understand and we humbly ask to please share our story with your family and friends. <br /><br />We send our aloha and gratitude to all of you for sharing this journey with us. <br />Be kind, be courageous, be blessed ʻohana.<br /><br />Me ke aloha nui,<br />The Chong ʻOhana!

Hoʻi i ka Piko: Help Bring Chongie Home

As many of you know Tsunamae (her roller derby personae) has been undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of cancer.  Really Aggressive!  Her family accompanied her to Queens to make sure no stone was left unturned.  They made the decision to come back to Hilo on Wednesday.  Mealoha may be visited at Hospice on Kapiolani.  Despite smart financial planning and decent insurance the expenses are quite significant.  Especially the flight home from Queens.  Let’s take that concern off the families minds.  Please do what you can.  The goal may be lofty but let’s see what we can do together to help!<br />Pictured here with her beautiful mom, Denise Nakanishi.

Tsunamea Ohana

Jai's Ohana

Jai's Ohana

Jai's Ohana

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In Memory of Jai: Aid for Supportive Angels

Hoʻi i ka Piko: Help Bring Chongie Home

Tsunamea Ohana

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