Hiram deFries was about to have the week of his young life.
The 24-year-old son of Oahu from Papakolea who refused to eat until everyone else made one plate was set to receive his pilot’s wings Wednesday and was going to propose to the love of his life, Naleo Faurot.
DeFries and Preston Kaluhiwa, 26, of Kaneohe, lost their young lives Monday after the single-engine Cessna 208 they were flying crashed into an abandoned building and exploded.
“Wednesday he was supposed to take that flight for his wings, and he was officially going to propose to the love of his life and we were all so excited,” his mother, Tamar deFries, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
On Monday, Tamar, Faurot and Hiram’s father, Jed, raced to the crash site hoping to find the light of their life because Hiram’s phone was still pinging. If his phone was still working, his family held fast to hope that his generous heart and aloha spirit survived the crash.
“We saw a clip (of the crash) and we ran down there. … Naleo, me and his dad were there. … I just had so much hope that he survived, because the phone was pinging. He followed every rule (about having the phone off in flight). Somehow that pinged. It was after the crash. I was sitting at Kamaka Air saying, ‘No, his phone is pinging.’ I just didn’t want to believe it,” Tamar said.
DeFries was a 2020 Punahou School graduate who played nose tackle because he loved creating opportunities for linebackers to sack the quarterback.
Kaluhiwa, a 2016 Kamehameha Schools graduate, was a Kamaka Air pilot who was certified as a flight instructor. Kaluhiwa’s parents are still grieving and unable to comment at this time, Preston’s cousin told the Star-Advertiser.
PEOPLE FIRST
Hiram deFries was born and raised on Hawaiian homestead, and, while he was Tamar’s son, he was raised by the homestead community.
“He was the most giving and loving person. I am blessed to be his mom, but he was not just my child; he belonged to this homestead,” Tamar said. “Hiram had such a beautiful soul. His light was so bright, his dimples so deep.”
He had a passion for fishing. As a member of Hawaii Local Foods, he was constantly angling for food and motivated to feed people.
“He loved to fish. ‘Oh, auntie, here’s dinner.’ He was just the most giving, loving Hawaiian boy. He was the epitome of aloha,” his mom said.
She remembers Hiram calling her to grab steaks from Costco so he could feed his friends and community. He would fire up the grill and smiled the entire time. By the time everyone ate, there would sometimes be only bones with some meat.
“Hiram was all about others first. ‘Mom, dad, mom, dad, you give, you give, you just give,’” she said of her son. “He was the most giving and loving person.”
Playing football at Punahou, deFries recognized every teammate who struggled to balance school, life and football. He opened his home to his teammates who had to travel far to Punahou to play and study.
Tamara put a queen-size bed in their living room so a teammate could live with them. Hiram told her he had no time to study, practice, socialize and grow as a person.
“‘He needs to come live with us. He can’t do his homework,’” Hiram told his mom. “We are all together all the time. He was so inclusive our house was a puuhonua to everyone and everybody,” his mom said, noting there were at least 21 boys at their home every weekend. Whether they were from Laie or Mililani, ‘Mom, we focused too hard, they need to rest.’ That’s the blessing Hiram gave to all of us. The collective. He was truly of this place. Collectively, we are so empty without him.”
KAMAKA AIR
“Preston was the kind of guy that even if he made you mad, you couldn’t stay mad at him for long,” said Amanda Pitcher, a Kamaka Air executive. “He was loved by all for the kind and compassionate person he was. Whenever you saw him, he would always have a smile on his face. Even if he was at work a full day and worn out from flying, the smile would still be there. He was an impeccable CFI (certified flight instructor) and loved teaching pilots how to fly and always making sure anyone he instructed was on the top of their game. He was an outstanding company instructor. I am sure that anyone that had the privilege to fly with him would tell you that they are a better pilot now because of him.”
Hiram deFries “was a braddah,” she said.
“He was endearing and took care of everyone. Hiram started working on the front desk back in April and quickly became loved by many of Kamaka’s regular customers. He was then promoted to an SIC (second in command) and finally began his training to fly for Kamaka. Hiram’s stick-and-rudder skills were on par with anyone, and he had a natural feel for flying. Hiram was loved by many and will be deeply missed,” Pitcher said.
“Both of these men were outstanding pilots and even better friends and will be missed by their fellow employees both in the air and on the ground. They made an impression on everyone at Kamaka Air, and their memories will live on with us.”
Keith Amemiya, a longtime friend of the deFries family, told the Star-Advertiser that the deFries family has been well respected in the community for generations.
“Hiram’s grandfather, after whom he was named, was a highly successful Shell Oil executive and later a football staff member for Urban Meyer at Florida and Ohio State upon retiring from Shell,” Amemiya said. “He and my father were Punahou baseball teammates and best friends, and he provided the eulogy at my father’s memorial service this past June. Hiram’s grandfather was so proud of the fact that Hiram and my son (Christopher) were also Punahou baseball teammates and close friends since childhood. This is such a devastating loss, and our hearts and prayers go out to both ohana.”
