Mahalo Mokulele

Kalaupapa Airport has been like a gathering place for many of us over the years. Then once this COVID struck our islands with such devastation, all this has changed and necessary restrictions by the Dept. of Health have prevented us from gathering there. That all changed on Saturday morning, Jan. 16, 2021, although only for a brief time, when we gathered in our masks at Terminal 1 to await the return of Boogie to our little township. After a brief delay, Mokulele’s flight touched down and taxied to a halt. A cheer went up as Boogie was taken from the plane and wheeled into the terminal in his wheelchair. Boogie stayed with us for three days and many of our residents got to see him. Then on Tuesday, Jan. 19, we bade farewell to him as he returned to his beloved wife, Ivy, at the Hale Mohalu Care Home in Kaimuki, Honolulu.

We wish to sincerely thank Mokulele Airlines for bringing Boogie with such great care to visit us and we thank Richard, the head honcho, for accompanying him on this special occasion. To Mokulele we say, mahalo nui loa.

Fr. Pat Killilea ss.cc.
St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa