Walk Across Oahu

Not so bright but very early this morning, three Honolulu residents will set out from Yokohama Bay on a four-day, 135-mile journey to raise awareness — and money — for returning war veterans.

The group — Tofi Mika Jr., 30; Yvette Lee, 37; and John Cummings III, 46 — hopes to raise about $20,000, half of which would be directed to the Oahu Veterans Center for general assistance and to the local Disabled American Veterans program at Tripler Army Medical Center, which is in need of a new van to help clients get to appointments.

The other half would be used to renovate the home of local disabled war veteran Sgt. 1st Class Sualauvi Tuimalealiifano to be handicap accessible.

"We want to use this as an opportunity to say 'thank you' to our servicemen and women," said Mika, an office manager with the Mayor's Office on Culture and the Arts. " There are a lot of veterans who served our country and returned home in wheelchairs. We're going to walk for them and try to raise awareness of the issues that this particular group goes through."

Mika and Tuimalealiifano were childhood friends. Both grew up in the Kalihi Valley Homes housing project and attended the same elementary, middle and high school before eventually losing contact when Tuimalealiifano joined the service.

Mika didn't know what became of his old friend until he read a Honolulu Advertiser story about him last summer.

Tuimalealiifano, a member of the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), an elite special operations team, had been deployed to Afghanistan. While fighting off a Taliban ambush in spring 2007, Tuimalealiifano was thrown from his gun truck and left paralyzed from the neck down.

Despite his injuries, Tuimalealiifano returned to active duty, assisting other wounded warriors.

Mika said his friend's experience inspired him to do something of his own for disabled veterans. Thus was born the Walk Across Oahu.

"A lot of disabled veterans come home depressed, some very suicidal," Mika said. "A lot of the veterans I've talked to also feel unappreciated. I wanted this to be a big public statement from civilians to let them know that we appreciate their sacrifices."

Mika has devoted much of his life to humanitarian efforts. Last year, he took part in a VolunTour good will mission to Cambodia, where he worked with orphans in Phnom Penh. Earlier this year, he joined Honolulu Rotary Club members in Baguio City, Philippines, where he helped to construct a new vocational training facility for at-risk youth.

Mika, who was born in American Sämoa, said his motivation lies in his experiences as an immigrant growing up in Kalihi Valley Homes and Kuhio Park Terrace.

"I remember social workers coming in and organizing activities and games for us," he said. "I realized later the benefit of what those people did for us. I'm grateful to them, and I'm very grateful to my parents for coming to the U.S. to give us better opportunities. I want to give back to the country that has given me so many opportunities."

Mika found kindred spirits in fellow walkers Lee and Cummings, who work in the same building that he does.

Mika had heard about Lee's participation in the Special Olympics' "Over the Edge" fundraising drive and found her more than willing to put her feet to the pavement to help disabled vets. Lee in turn recruited her good friend Cummings, who jumped at the chance to contribute to the effort.

"It was Mika's heart that drove this whole thing," Lee said. "He wanted to help his friend, and when you do something for someone, you're also doing something for the world."

Lee was married to a serviceman and still has close friends in the military.

"They're all good people," Lee said. "People may not always agree with every decision, but we can all agree that those who serve in the military are good people who sacrifice a lot to serve America."

Cummings said his father's 42 years of service in the National Guard helped him to appreciate those who serve in the Armed Forces.

"I learned to respect and honor what it is they do," he said. "They need our support in peace and in war — and when they come home."

The group set up an ambitious schedule for itself. They'll have to average more than 33 miles per day.

Starting at 5 this morning, they will walk from Yokohama Bay to Wahiawä, where they will stay overnight with some of Mika's friends.

Tomorrow, they will walk from Wahiawä to a camping spot at Kahana Bay.

On Tuesday, they will make their way to Bellows Air Force Station, where they will again camp overnight.

Finally, on Veterans Day, they will make the final leg from Bellows to the state Capitol. They expect to arrive between 3 and 3:30 p.m., in time for a brief rally. The public is invited to attend the rally, and to join the three for a short community walk. The trio will then make their way to the finish line at the O'ahu Veterans Center.

Group members have spent the past several weeks preparing for the trek.

Mika, a distance runner who swam and played football for Farrington High School, runs from his Downtown office to Waikíkí and back before lifting weights each day.

Cummings, a public information officer for the city's Department of Emergency Management, is a hike leader with the Sierra Club's High School Hikers program. Although he has undertaken long hiking trips before, he said the Walk Across Oahu will be especially challenging.

Lee, who works for the City and County of Honolulu, practices yoga "on a fun level" and gets most of her exercise chasing her two young children. She said it will be will and motivation more than physical conditioning that will get her to the Capitol.

"I like pedicures," Lee said, laughing. "I use a blow-dryer every morning. I have a very frou-frou house. I think for the Average Joanne, this will be quite a challenge. But compared to what soldiers do every day, this is nothing. I think if I can do it, anyone can."

Additional Facts

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“135 mile Walk Across Oahu (WAO) event to honor Disabled War Veterans and Wounded Warriors"

(November 2, 2009)

On Sunday, November 8, 2009 a trio of walkers will step-off on a four-day 135-mile trek across Oahu to raise awareness and to benefit severely wounded service members and disabled veterans of the current military conflicts.

The inaugural Walk Across Oahu event was developed as a charity walk to honor team member Mika’s childhood friend, Sgt. Sualauvi “Malua” Tuimalealiifano, who became a quadriplegic after being thrown off his army HUMVEE during a battle with the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2007. Mindful of the fact that over 34,000 service men and women have been wounded in action since the global war on terrorism began, the purpose of the walk was eventually expanded to encompass the following goals:

Show Gratitude - We want to say THANK YOU to all of our disabled war veterans for their service to our country.
Raise Awareness - We want to raise public awareness to the needs and issues affecting our disabled vets.
Raise Monetary Donations -

To finance costs of renovating Sgt. Sualauvi "Malua" Tuimalealiifano's home into a handicapped accessible home.
To finance programs at the Oahu Veteran's Center and Disabled American Veterans national organization specifically geared at benefiting disabled war veterans.

Donations are tax deductible and will be accepted directly or at any Bank of Hawaii branch location.

The charity walk will begin on Sunday November 8^th and end four-days later on Veterans Day, Wednesday November 11^th, 2009. The WAO team’s journey will take them from the gates of Yokohama Bay on the west coast of Oahu and up through central Oahu. They will travel along the north and eastern shoreline of the island and finish off the final leg of the trip embarking through urban Honolulu.

WAO team members include Yvette Lee, John M. Cummings III and Tofi Mika Jr. WAO members have been training heavily over past few months in anticipation of the upcoming 135-mile walk. “I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to honor our disabled veterans”, said Yvette Lee, “they are our true American heroes today, tomorrow and forever.”

A special public rally and a quarter-mile charity walk will take place at the Hawaii State Capitol on Veterans Day, Wednesday November 11, 2009 from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. This particular event is free to the public and participants are asked to wear the color “yellow” for show of unity and showcase written signs of support. After the State Capitol program, the team will then complete the walk by traveling to the Oahu Veterans Center at Foster Village arriving at approximately 6:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served.

The public will not be allowed to join in on any other portion of the walk because of safety concerns and are instead encouraged to join in at the State Capitol and Oahu Veterans Center.

Part of the journey will also include brief stops at the gates of three military bases; Schofield Barracks, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base and Fort Shafter for presentations of large yellow ribbons to signify friendship and remembrance for troops that have died in the line of duty.

To learn more about this incredible journey please visit our website:

http://WalkAcrossOahu.com. The website contains the complete story, team profile and instructions on how to make a donation to the cause.

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“Wounded warrior seizes new mission with support of Army”

By Will Hoover

The Honolulu Advertiser

July 20, 2009

In the spring of 2007, Sgt. 1^st Class Sualauvi “Sua” Tuimalealiifano of Kalihi, with the 96^th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) – an elite special operations team – was fighting with Green Berets at a location outside firebase Cobra in southern Afghanistan when the team was ambushed by Taliban fighters.

Tuimalealiifano was left paralyzed from the neck down from injuries suffered when he was hurled from his gun truck in that firefight.

Around that same time the U.S. Army had begun installing what it termed Warrior transition units at three dozen military installations around the U.S., including Hawai’i. The units were designed to provide critically needed support for wounded soldiers returning from conflicts in the Middle East.

The units had become necessary because advances in body armor and medical treatment techniques meant injured service members, such as Tuimelealiifano, were surviving in far greater numbers than at any time in recorded modern combat.

A soldier wounded in World War II had a 67.8 percent chance of survival, according to Department of Defense statistics. By the time of the Vietnam War, those chances had climbed to 86.5 percent.

Today, with 120,000 soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the survival rate has soared to 97 percent, said Bob Moore, chief of Strategic Communications Division of the Warrior Transition Command in Virginia.

The Warrior transition units are part of the new military order, which strives to keep solders in the service whenever possible, Moore said.

At least 16,000 soldier have been through the units since we began this proves in the middle of 2007,” said Moore, who stressed that 52 percent of those soldiers have returned to active duty.

“There’s a very strong emphasis to retain soldiers whenever we can. The Warrior Care and Transition program runs the entire continuum of retaining them in service to transitioning them to civilian life.”

HUGE PROGRESS

Many who leave the program and return to active duty have fully recovered. Tuimalealiifano, 30, represents a rare case – the severely injured warrior who returns to active duty despite overwhelming disabilities, Moore said.

During Tuimalealiifano’s months of treatment at hospitals from Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the Tampa, Fla., VA Hospital for spinal injuries, he was told he would never more his arms or legs again. His weight dropped from 240 pounds to 167 in little more than 60 days.

“The doctors told him to pretty much lay down and die – these are your injuries, this is what you’ll never do,” recalled his wife, Shannon. “Before the end of the year he was moving himself in his own wheelchair, when they said he would need a breathing machine and power wheelchair for life.”

Though he remains a quadriplegic, Tuimaleliifano had regained some use of arms and hands by the end of the year. He credits his exceptional progress to his special operations training.

On Dec. 8, 2007, Tuimalealiifano re-enlisted at a ceremony in the Tampa VA hospital. Among those in attendance was Lt. Col. Leo Ruth, commander of the 96^th CAB – Tuimalealiifano’s special ops unit in Afgahnistan.

“It’s an honor standing in today to witness the re-enlistment of a great American paratrooper who has sacrificed a lot for this great country,” Ruth said.

All that was before Tuimalealiifano returned to Hawaii in January 2009 and was introduced to the Tripler Army Medical Center’s Warrior transition unit, which consists of multidisplinary team of physicians, case managers, specialty care providers and occupational therapists.

Today, he is on of 256 “Warriors in transition” assigned to the unit. He is also part of the battalion’s “wounded warriors” program, which is made up of a cadre of 120 specialized personnel who assist with the rehabilitative requirements for Tuimalealiifano and others with severe injuries.

‘BRAND NEW WORLD’

Tuimalealiifano still considers himself a warrior. But the battleground for him has changed. One foe he had to conquer was his own pride. That was especially tough in the beginning, he says. But he got the hang of it in part by devoting his free time to talking to soldiers who have been wounded in action. That has become his personal mission.

“That’s exactly my assignment,” he said.

He has recently been assigned to a work program at U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith. It will be a desk job – placid terrain for a highly trained special operations combat warrior. But he says he’s lucky to have been given an opportunity.

“It’s a brand new world, because there is such an emphasis on helping these soldiers,” said Fred Browning, Tuimalealiifano’s Wounded Warrior advocate, a former Green Beret who was himself twice wounded in combat in Vietnam.

“They needed a civil affairs intelligence type person at Camp Smith,” said Browning. “So he’s going to go up there and work for them initially a couple of days a week in the special operations office.”

Another uphill battle is the fight to gain independence in his home. The Army offered to provide ADA-compliant quarters at Schofield Barracks for Tuimalealiifano, his wife and three children – but not his extended family.

For a Samoan such as Tuimealiifano, the extended family is too important to exclude. So, he bought a home in Kapolei big enough to accommodate himself, his wife and kids, as well as his parents and siblings.

To make the place handi-capped accessible will costs $178,000. The Veterans Administration has committed to providing $60,000 to that end. The catch is that the VA money won’t arrive until after Tuimalealiifano has secured the rest of the money. Tuimalealiifano hasn’t yet been able to raise or borrow his share in part because of the recession and credit crunch.

Meanwhile, Tuimalealiifano makes do. He showers in the backyard in makeshift plywood and garden hose set-up built by a friend. He relies on family to assist him around the house. He never gives up.

“I sincerely believe everything will work out,” he said. “I joined the Army, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have no regrets.”

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“Toa o Samoa Re-enlists for the Last Time”

By T. Laupola

SSG Sualauvi Malua Tuimalealiifano III re-enlists for the last time in the presence of his unit, D/96th Civil Affairs Battalion (CAB), his comrades from the spinal ward, his Samoan families from Ft Bragg, NC and Tampa, Florida and his wife Mrs Shannon Fatuesi Tuimaleali’ifano. Major Tauapai Laupola administered the re-enlistment oath for SSG Tuimalealiifano at the VA hospital on Saturday, 8 Dec 07. According to SSG Tuimalealiifano, "I am humbled by the experience to be re-enlisted for the last time while sitting in my wheel chair knowing that my life has changed forever." He thanked everybody for their support and prayers during this ordeal. SSG Tuimalealiifano is paralyzed from his chest down due to a spinal injury he received during his combat tour in Afghanistan, August 2007.

According to LTC Leo Ruth, Battalion commander 96th CAB, "It's an honor standing in today to witness the re-enlistment of a great American paratrooper who has sacrificed a lot for this Great Nation." SSG Tuimalealiifano's team leader, CPT Marcus Forman, said "Our experiences created a strong bond within our unit especially during this last deployment. He is a great ambassador not only for the team, but his Samoan heritage and his faith in God." These same feelings were echoed by his company commander, MAJ John William, "He is a great soldier and I can always count on him because he is willing to learn, adapt and help the team accomplish its mission."

The traveling party from Ft Bragg, NC consisted of the 96th CAB key leaders and members from the Samoan Christian Faith Congregation Fort Bragg, NC, CSM Tuileama Nua, SFC Taisi Steffany-Alo, Major Tauapai Laupola and Pastor Poasa Masaniai of Ft Huachuca, AZ.

A reception followed at Mr. Lamasi & Mrs. Mary Peterika's beautiful residence hosted by the Samoans residing in Tampa, FL. The guests were greeted to a variety of island music by Ulale Pusi, Jimmy Maugaleo'o and Lance Faimalie. The Samoan melodies was a reminder of the days when Ulale Pusi played at the Rainmaker hotel in American Samoa.

Pastor Poasa Masaniai blessed the lavish buffet done Samoan-style of roast pig, chop suey, corned beef and cabbage, fa'alifu talo and pagipopo as the highlight for dessert. A special Samoan siva was performed by Mrs Nina Tuitasi Glaude and Mr Lauvao Andre Glaude for the guests. As customary in the Samoan culture the honor of the taualaga was performed by Mrs Shannon Tuimalealiifano. The guests were touched as SSG Tuimalealiifano danced from his wheel chair to join his wife in the taualuga.

SSG Tuimalealiifano and Shannon described this day with these sentiments. "First and foremost we thank our heavenly father for this day for without his grace we would not have met the people that are here with us today. We are extremely overwhelmed and happy for the support, especially by the love and compassion that we have seen. This experience has confirmed our belieif in the Samoan value of alofa and faaaloalo."

Special thanks to the Samoan community in Tampa, FL; especially, Mr Lamasi & Mrs Mary Peterika, Mr Jimmy & Mrs Koli Maugaleo'o, Mr Andre & Mrs Nina Glaude, Ulale Pusi, Lance Faimalie, Aaone Tuitasi and Kelemete Fatu.

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mika@walkacrossoahu.com