LIHUE — The little girl squealed in delight as she grasped Deslynn Jaquias’ hand and boldly stepped into the crosswalk at the Hardy Street roundabout. The morning sun was warm and tranquil, and a nearby Kauai Police Department traffic officer
LIHUE — The little girl squealed in delight as she grasped Deslynn Jaquias’ hand and boldly stepped into the crosswalk at the Hardy Street roundabout.
The morning sun was warm and tranquil, and a nearby Kauai Police Department traffic officer added to the little girl’s sense of security. A casual observer watching the scene would have no idea of the sorrow in Jaquias’ heart.
“She lost members of her family to automobile accidents,” said Bev Brody of Get Fit Kauai said about Jaquias. “Who would have known that?”
Jaquias, a single mom and owner of Kauai Girl fashions, has lost people close to her to vehicle accidents. She hopes to draw from her experiences with cars and become a motivational speaker advocating traffic safety.
Why is it so important for people to understand crosswalk safety, or use crosswalks?
When you chose to not use a crosswalk you risk your own safety and you basically forfeit or surrender your rights as a pedestrian if you cross elsewhere.
A family member did not use the crosswalk, and it happened to be a rainy night. Sadly, someone struck him while he was crossing the street. He passed away the following day due to the serious injuries he suffered from the vehicle impact. He was not in a crosswalk, therefore he waived his rights as a pedestrian. Legally, the driver couldn’t be held responsible for this accident. Yet a life was lost. Use a crosswalk even if it seems inconvenient to you.
What about motorist or driver safety and awareness?
Use your seat belt, do not drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and do not get into a car as a passenger with someone who isn’t sober or clear-minded to drive.
I have lost loved ones from being in vehicle accidents from when I was a teen until a few years ago.
Some of these accidents were related to speeding, under drug and alcohol influence, not wearing a seat belt, etc. I even witnessed a friend passing away from the severity of the accident they were involved in.
Heartbroken. Regretful. Dealing with the consequences. Losing some my loved ones has shattered my heart and changed me. I have learned to embrace life and be wiser as a motorist.
Personally, when I lived on Maui I was exhausted following my work shift. I was driving from Lahaina to Wailuku. I dozed off and hit the guard rail which kept me from going off the cliff into the ocean. I learned to not drive if I felt tired and to take a short nap — to ensure safety for myself and others on the road.
What are your roots in Hawaii?
I was blessed to be born and raised on Kauai. However, I got to live elsewhere on Oahu, Maui and Yokosuka, Japan.
Prior to returning to Kauai I was in Japan with my husband and son. Our marriage dissolved and in 2009, I became a single, divorced mom to a 2-year-old son.
God blessed me with an incredible ohana to assist in raising my son to who he is today. In 2011, I became the CEO of Kauai Girl company, a clothing line that I have sold through local Kauai boutiques owned by women. Thanks to encouragement of Tita Makepa, the co-owner of Born Hawaii, a Kauai-grown company located in Kapaa, I pursued Kauai Girl after sharing my idea for a jacket.
Since starting Kauai Girl, I have undergone much struggles of sadness, losing my dad unexpectedly, my grandmother, and grandfather. I felt insecure to keep going with my business, afraid of the unknown, mainly heartbroken from the divorce and grieving for family members.
For me, each and every one has our own style and fashion in our own right, it’s not the brand of clothing that makes us, it’s us being true to ourselves.
Keep it simple on Kauai if we want to rock a trucker hat, tank top and jeans one day with slippers, then change it up with a Hawaiiana inspired dress — we can do that. I have used Kauai Girl as platform to inspire others through aloha.
I share my faith in God, inspirational quotes, I choose new and fresh models from Kauai to give them opportunity to shine, I host events to give raw talents from youth to adults the opportunity to perform in the public, and tons of food and beautiful landscape pictures, mainly on Kauai.
I aspire to become a inspirational speaker since I understand what it is to feel heartbroken yet to gain courage and hope to live life with gratitude with pure aloha as if tomorrow will never come.
Is there anything you would want to share with people about relationships with other people, including relatives, family and friends?
Invest your time into caring for your well being and your family. Loyalty makes you family. Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.
I lost my sister Keala unexpectedly in 2001 on Kauai. There’s never a day that goes by that I miss her and want to see her beautiful smile and hear her laughter light up the room.
Just know, money cannot buy back time or your health. Life is moments that becomes memories. Make sure you cherish those who matter. No regrets.
How do you think being a motivational speaker will make a difference?
I will be able to inspire people. God created them out of pure aloha. I can speak in pidgin English and proper English to relate to those of Hawaii, and of the world that no matter what happened, or didn’t happen, they are still of great worth. They are stronger than they were yesterday.
I have known people close to me affected by vehicle accidents. A lot of them were survivors of careless driving involving alcohol. One moment, one choice — affected lives.
