Hokuanu Aki, 17, was very happy to return home Saturday following over a week of treatment at The Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu. Aki was met at Lihue Airport by his family, his kumu hula Wallis Punua and fellow hula halau
Hokuanu Aki, 17, was very happy to return home Saturday following over a week of treatment at The Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu.
Aki was met at Lihue Airport by his family, his kumu hula Wallis Punua and fellow hula halau members. The Kauai High School senior quickly made his way off the airplane using crutches.
Since Aki lost his lower left leg to a shark on Monday, March 25 he has become well-known across Hawai’i, and across the country, thanks to appearances on the early morning “Today” show and other national media spots.
The shark attack took place in murky ocean waters, about 150 feet off popular Brennecke Beach on the South Shore. He escaped by punching the shark and ripping out one of the shark’s eyes.
This week Aki is expected to return to classes at Kauai High School, and plans to attend his upcoming Kauai High School prom night.
He is being fitted with a prosthetic leg and is expected to within a few months be able to walk and run unaided, plus return to the ocean to again enjoy bodyboarding.
The Garden Island is seeking letters wishing Hokuanu Aki a speedy recovery from his shark attack injuries. The letters will be published on a special page in the Saturday, April 13 edition of The Garden Island. Please mail letters to The Garden Island 3137 Kuhio Hwy. Lihue, HI 96766 or email the letters to ginews@aloha.net, or drop off your letter at the front desk of The Garden Island during working hours. Letters should be delivered to The Garden Island by 9 a.m. Monday, April 8.
Donations to the Aki family to help pay for the extraordinary medical expenses they are facing can be given at Kaua’i Community Credit Union branches on Kaua’i or at First Hawaiian Bank branches, both locally and across the state. At the Kaua’i Community Federal Credit Union donors should tell the bank teller to deposit their donation in the account of Hokuanu Aki. At the First Hawaiian Bank, donations should go into the “Friends of Hokuanu Aki” account. Checks can also be mailed to t he Hoku Aki Fund c/o The Kaua’i Community Federal Credit Union 4434 Hardy St., Lihu’e, HI 96766. For more information call the credit union at 245-6791.
