Amid immense sadness and tragedy, Geri Kai said, her Moanalua Valley home has unexpectedly become a revolving door of love and support in the wake of her son’s recent death while hiking the Mount Olomana trail in Kailua.
"Because of this, you know, the house has opened up, and people have been coming in and out," Kai said in her home Sunday, surrounded by several vases of fresh, sweet-smelling flowers.
Kai identified the off-duty Honolulu firefighter who died Friday after falling from the Olomana trail as her 28-year-old son, Mitchell. Tearfully, she tried to express what it’s been like to lose her only son so suddenly but at the same time learn of just how rich in love and friendship his life was.
"Initially we just wanted to crawl into a hole and just not talk to anybody and just be depressed," she said. "But it’s nice to talk because it helps us heal. It helps other people, too."
Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. James Todd said Mitch Kai was hiking about 100 feet away from the top of the third peak Friday afternoon when he slipped off a rope and fell about 50 feet.
The woman he was hiking with, also in her 20s, witnessed him falling and used her cellphone to call for help, Todd said.
Two men who were hiking behind them told first responders it was raining at the time, according to the Fire Department. Fire rescue crews used a helicopter to lift Kai and the three other hikers, who were not injured, to Maunawili Valley Park. Shortly after, Kai was pronounced dead by city Emergency Medical Services personnel.
Geri Kai said her son loved the outdoors, especially surfing, snowboarding, paddling and hiking, and that a group of his friends took part in a paddle-out in his honor Saturday at the Shallows surfing spot off Sand Island.
She also said her son, a 2004 graduate of Moanalua High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Nevada at Reno before returning home to relax and figure out his future. A few years later, after stints of substitute teaching, tutoring and working as a paramedic, he became a firefighter.
"It became his passion," she said. "So he was really lucky, you know. He found his niche, and, you know, he was really happy doing what he was doing."
Davis Tanaka, a longtime friend of Mitch Kai’s, stopped by the Kai home Sunday to visit with his friend’s grieving parents. He said he too is having a hard time accepting that one of his closest friends is gone.
"To think that someone you know that you think is going to be your friend for a lifetime is suddenly gone, it’s a weird feeling," he said. "It’s like a hole that you didn’t know could be there until it is. It’s shocking and I still can’t believe it."
TANAKA said he went through Boy Scouts with Kai, who eventually earned the top rank of Eagle Scout. Tanaka also said he vividly remembers riding the bus home together in middle school and getting into trouble for goofing off during high school band practices.
"He was the most positive guy that you’d ever met, nice, most honest person, really engages when he’s talking to you, asking questions. Like you can tell he’s really listening and remembers things no matter how long it’s been," Tanaka said. "I really loved Mitchell a lot, and even though we didn’t see each other all the time, you know, it was always so easy. … We’d laugh instantly just (at) stuff that we said to each other."
Mitchell Kai’s fellow firefighters have also made a statement of remembrance. A banner near the top of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association website reads, "Our condolences to the family of FF1 Mitchell Kai. RIP, Brother!"
"We didn’t know how many people he touched," his mom said. "I mean, it’s just incredible (how) people have been reaching out."
