WAIMEA — Waimea High School will be hosting a fundraising drive during its football game against Kauai High School Friday at Hanapepe Stadium to raise money to fight ALS in honor of Bully Nakaahiki. “Bully Nakaahiki was a student at
WAIMEA — Waimea High School will be hosting a fundraising drive during its football game against Kauai High School Friday at Hanapepe Stadium to raise money to fight ALS in honor of Bully Nakaahiki.
“Bully Nakaahiki was a student at Waimea High School for two years before he transferred to Kamehameha Schools,” said Jon Kobayashi, the Menehune athletic director. “We are doing this fundraising to help the ALS Association in his honor.”
Kobayashi said Nakaahiki went on to become a Honolulu police officer, and after contracting ALS, returned to Hawaii. He died from the disease in 2010.
What was missing was the support and help he received while he was on the Mainland.
This gave Nakaahiki the motivation to start the ALS Association in Hawaii, a part of the Golden West Chapter of the ALS Association, so others affected by the disease would get help and support similar to the care offered on the Mainland.
“He was really concerned about the Outer Islands,” Kobayashi said. “He has family in Kekaha, and his grandmother will be helping us Friday night at Hanapepe Stadium.”
Kobayashi said the contributions to the ALS Association on behalf of Nakaahiki are separate from the admission price paid at the gate.
ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is the term for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease which slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe.
Volunteers will collect donations at the entrance at Hanapepe Stadium.
