My heart aches for the families and friends of the skydivers and pilot. I did not personally know any of the five deceased of the recent skydive Kauai tragedy in Hanapepe. I cried when I heard the story. My heart
My heart aches for the families and friends of the skydivers and pilot.
I did not personally know any of the five deceased of the recent skydive Kauai tragedy in Hanapepe.
I cried when I heard the story. My heart aches for the the two instructors, Enzo Amitrano and Wayne Rose, two tandem skydivers, brothers Marshall and Phillip Cabe and pilot, Damien Jimmy Horan. I felt a kinship.
Kauai is a small and when something like this happens if feels like ohana (family) even when the people it happens to are not blood related.
For my 60th birthday I had planned a skydive with this company. I had a friend who had visited from Alaska who could not stop ranting and raving about how he had the time of his life — and like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the classic movie. “The Bucket List” decided to take a skydive for his 60th birthday, too, which is what prompted my idea to do the same.
I decided to put it off since a very dear friend told me if I waited to do it on her birthday she would fork the bill! I don’t know if we will still go, that’s not why I am writing this.
None of this is about money or bucket lists. It’s about life and how precious it is, and how in the blink of an eye any of us can be gone within a heartbeat. Do you think any of the five people that died that tragic day woke up and thought that within a few short hours their life would end?
Life is short. Enjoy your neighbors, smile and shoot a shaka at a stranger, buy a homeless person a meal, eat a hot dog or spam musubi without guilt, and don’t argue and lose friendships over presidential candidates, they’re not worth it. Basically, don’t sweat the small stuff.
We may disagree on issues, however one thing is for certain, everyone reading this was given the gift of a life, So why not try your optimum to enjoy it — you just never know when you will be taking your last breath.
The enclosed quote by by William Wallace describes those who like to take adventures and live life to the fullest
“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”
Do a Mitzvot (good deed) in memory and honor of each of the deceased . It can be a donation to your favorite charity, planting a tree in their honor or just pleasant thoughts and reflections.
May God bless and comfort the family and friends of skydive instructors Enzo Amitrano and Wayne Rose,tandem skydivers, brothers Marshall and Phillip Cabe and pilot,Damien Jimmy Horan. Aloha.
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James “Kimo” Rosen is a resident of Kapaa.
