Remembered as a creative, gentle soul, the 36-year-old whose remains were found Thursday near Ahukini Landing was taken before his time, family and friends said yesterday. Christopher Jon Cole, of Kapa‘a, was last seen on Aug. 16 near Kuhio and
Remembered as a creative, gentle soul, the 36-year-old whose remains were found Thursday near Ahukini Landing was taken before his time, family and friends said yesterday.
Christopher Jon Cole, of Kapa‘a, was last seen on Aug. 16 near Kuhio and Kapule highways. He was reported missing on Aug. 22, according to records filed with the Kaua‘i Police Department.
Warren Dastrup, a self-professed “friend and confidante,” said he knew Cole for nearly two years. He said during his short time with his friend, he was in awe of his musical and filmmaking talent.
“He produced a whole record album in a bedroom without air conditioning or a fan in the middle of the summer,” Dastrup said. “In a tiny square bedroom, he was cranking out a song every couple days. He was very intelligent. He was just a kind, loving guy.”
Despite his aptitude for music — Cole was a one-person show who wrote his own music and performed each of the tracks himself — Dastrup said Cole was hesitant to perform publicly.
Cole did make a few appearances, however, only during open-mic sessions at Kapa‘a establishments such as Shaka Tacos.
His songs were revealing and poetic, Dastrup added.
“They were journeys into the unknown — into his soul and heart,” he said.
Christopher Cole’s father, Jack, said his son’s musical inspiration came primarily from John Lennon and the Beatles.
“He had an unbelievable talent in song writing and filmmaking and was extremely artistic in everything he approached,” Jack Cole said.
Police have not commented on whether foul play was suspected in Cole’s death, however, his father said he preferred to keep the focus on who his son was before he died.
“Chris left this world far too soon,” his father said.
Having struggled with bipolar disorder, a disease that played a large role in his life after his mother died, Christopher Cole passed away exactly 3 1/2 years after her death.
“He took (her passing) really hard,” his father said, noting that friends such as Dastrup helped his son in those darkest of times.
“Warren (Dastrup) saw his goodness, that it was his disease talking, and not the real Chris,” he said. “He was able to reach Chris and able to get him on medication. Sadly, this last time around Chris didn’t remain on his medication and went missing about three weeks ago.”
Dastrup was the one to go to the police to report that Christopher Cole was missing, his father said.
Jack Cole is traveling to Kaua‘i from California today to handle the final details of his son’s life, including moving his belongings from his Kapa‘a apartment and taking care of his ashes, which he plans to bring home with him to Los Angeles.
Christopher Cole lived in Kaua‘i for the past eight months after returning from the Mainland without his girlfriend who passed away in Los Angeles.
Christopher therefore returned to Kaua‘i alone, in part, his father said, because he was too heartbroken to stay in Los Angeles without her.
Friends and family in both California and Hawai‘i are mourning this most recent loss, he added.
“He had an amazing soul and heart that was open to everyone,” he said. “Not only did he leave behind his immediate family and the friends and coworkers that loved him in Los Angeles, but he left behind a group of residents that grew to know and love him — like we did.”
Though Cole was found face down in a small body of water off a pier near the Lihu‘e Airport, his father said he believed his body had likely been there for quite some time.
The exact date of his passing remains unclear at this time.
“He will be greatly missed,” his father said.
• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
