The "Jeopardy!" category is "Fundraisers." The answer is Kamehalani "Kama" Ortiz.
The correct question?
What 10-year Honolulu Fire Department veteran will raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital when he completes Monday’s Great Aloha Run in 40 pounds of turnout gear?
The dollar value? Fifteen hundred dollars … and growing.
So why is Ortiz planning to run the 8.15 miles wearing his turnout gear?
"I know, my friends and other firefighters think I’m crazy," Ortiz said. "It is hard. It’s insulated and the heat (inside) will never go down.
"But when you see the strength and courage that some of those kids at St. Jude’s have … even when they’re facing death … I have so much to be thankful for and if I can project half of their bravery, I know I’ll do good Monday."
The 34-year-old Ortiz said he learned of St. Jude’s while watching "Jeopardy!" growing up. It was the charity that Mark McGrath, lead singer of Sugar Ray, was playing for and "I looked up St. Jude, saw what their mission was," Ortiz said.
"I had a friend in high school who had health problems and was going to die. We raised money for him and he survived. I love helping people, and that transfers over to being a firefighter."
The 1995 Damien Memorial School graduate said his original goal was $250, but he raised that much within a week of creating a donation page. Then he added his cause to his Facebook page and word spread through high school friends and fellow firefighters.
Ortiz, who works out of the Kapolei Fire Station, has already exceeded $1,500 in contributions with the amount growing daily. He does not handle the money directly; it’s done through his page on the St. Jude website.
"Times are hard these days, but people have been so generous," he said. "Even $1 can make a difference. That $1 could be a cookie or a cupcake to a child with cancer, and it could be the last cookie or cupcake he ever has and that his parents see him enjoy. That’s something that St. Jude is able to do, prolong the time parents have with their sick kids.
"I have two kids (ages 5 and 8) and they’re healthy. I don’t know how I would handle it if they had cancer. I’m so blessed and this is a way to give back."
This will be the fourth Great Aloha Run for Ortiz, the first in his turnouts. He’s been training in his gear, gradually increasing the distance from 1 mile to 8.
Ortiz also has dedicated himself to a healthier lifestyle, losing more than 100 pounds in the past year. His diet is now nearly completely vegan and he did his first Tinman Triathlon last July and first Honolulu Marathon last December.
"I decided to try vegan for 30 days and I noticed a huge difference," Ortiz said. "We have such awesome cooks at the station — how do you think I got so big to begin with? — and it can be difficult. Me, a Hawaiian, and no poke?
"Occasionally I’ll make a mistake, like there was fish sauce in the brown rice. But I do a lot of protein shakes and I am eating my poi."
Ortiz said this won’t be the last race where he’ll wear his turnouts and raise money. He’s already thinking about doing a marathon in his gear.
"My grandfather always told me that something doesn’t affect you until it affects you," he said. "We take so much for granted, like health until you aren’t healthy.
"People are already asking me, ‘What’s next?’ This isn’t a one-time thing. I’ll be training to be a better firefighter and hope to raise even more money."
To donate, link to Ortiz’s page: mystjudeevent.org/kamaortiz Opens in a new tab
