You wouldn’t know by the smiles they flash at the breakfast table, but Francis Nakamoto has been at this long enough to understand the emotional load borne by the special families who find shelter and support through Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii.

The nonprofit organization provides free temporary housing to families of children from the neighbor islands or elsewhere in the Pacific who need to travel to Oahu to receive medical treatment.

Every Thursday for the last eight years, Nakamoto, 70, has prepared breakfast for families and staff at both the Judd Hillside and Oahu Avenue houses. A retired attorney and former RMHC board member, Nakamoto said the volunteer effort that he performs with friend Lyvonne Leu is his small way of supporting those whose hearts and minds are entirely taken up with their little loved ones being in the hospital.

“These families are going through probably the worst experience in their lives,” he says. “This is just a small gesture one day a week so they don’t have to worry about preparing a meal. It’s very rewarding because I can see in their eyes that they’re very appreciative.”

Nakamoto grew up in Kaimuki, the youngest of five children born to a seamstress and a Pearl Harbor boat operator. After graduating from Kaimuki High School, Nakamoto earned a degree in education from the University of Hawaii with plans on becoming a grade-school principal.

Nakamoto’s first job out of college was as a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga, who persuaded him to go to law school. After earning his Juris Doctor at the University of Santa Clara, Nakamoto found work with Honolulu’s Department of Corporation Counsel, where he remained for 10 years. Nakamoto later entered private practice with what is now Chong, Nishimoto, Sia, Nakamura & Goya, where his clients included Costco and McDonald’s.

Nakamoto retired in 2009 and has filled his days working on behalf of AARP and the death-with-dignity advocacy group Compassion & Choices, tending to his organic garden and kayak fishing. Although Ronald McDonald House operates independently of McDonald’s Corp., the namesake connection with his old client put the charity at the top of Nakamoto’s mind. His wife, Yvonne, was also active with the organization and had volunteered at RMHC’s Family Room at Kapiolani Medical Center.

An amateur chef with better-­than-amateur skills, Nakamoto had taken culinary courses at Kapiolani Community College, developing a special fondness for baking, and had even prepared breakfasts for his firm. Donating a well-rounded breakfast to families at RMHC once a week seemed a natural fit.

And so each week, Nakamoto makes a trip to Costco to pick up supplies, then spends Wednesday preparing ingredients and making his Danish pastries and other baked wonders. He arrives at one of the houses at 6 a.m. to begin cooking; Leu joins him a half-hour later to tidy the space, set the tables and get things organized. By 8:30 a.m. they’re done.

“These families are pretty heroic,” Nakamoto says. “They keep their game faces on, but you can feel their pain. It’s very satisfying to give them a few moments to enjoy a meal before they go to the hospital.”

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.