A Fond Farewell

Cami Naehu. Photo by Rick Schonely.

Friends of Cami Naehu share memories

Just past mile marker 18 on the east end, fresh flowers decorate a section of Kamehameha V Highway in remembrance of Cami Naehu, 33, who died in a motorcycle accident last Saturday. The Molokai native is survived by two sons.

“Her forgiving heart has taught me so much about life, more than she will ever know. She isn’t just my best friend, she is my sister, she is my ‘homie,’” wrote friend Liza-Kay. “She will always be here with me. Cami lived her life to the fullest; she always had a smile on her face with no worries at all, ready for anything. I can hear her laughing and saying ‘ah no worry I get em cuz, I get em!’ She was so vibrant and full of life, a phone call or visit from Cami easily turned into a day of excitement and adventure.”

“As her cousin, friend and classmate, I knew Cami to be someone that lived life to its fullest. She had close friends from so many different cliques. She’s definitely Molokai’s Miss Congeniality,” wrote Tarrah Horner, who was a leader for Naehu’s Molokai High School Class of 1996, in an email.

“Every friend she had was a best friend to her, because she gave her whole heart to everyone she spent time with,” said friend Kawehi Horner, via email. “She taught me how to live and be genuine, how to suck it up, make hard and move on…She was very dependable, free spirited, and loved her family very much.”

“She’s not just an employee, but actually a friend,” said Michael Drew, general manager of Hotel Molokai, where Naehu worked as a bartender for the past three years. “Being around Cami was always fun…Whenever she’s there you know you’re going to laugh and have a good time.”

According to police, Naehu was traveling east on her motorcycle just before 5 p.m. on June 23. The police reported that the motorcycle crossed the center line and into the westbound shoulder of the road. Once on the shoulder, Naehu traveled up a small berm and collided into a tree, causing her to be ejected from the vehicle. She was taken to Molokai General Hospital emergency room, where she was pronounced dead.

The involvement of speed, drugs and alcohol are still under investigation.

Dates for the memorial service are to be announced.