Page 7 - MidWeek Kauai - March 9, 2022

MARCH 9, 2022
KAUA‘I MIDWEEK 7
Empathy For Others Is What Drives Kauhi
FROM PAGE 6
lieved he could get back to help- ing other communities while remaining true to his beloved Waimānalo. Last Christmas, he did just that by taking Mālama Da Keiki to four different public housing areas on O‘ahu: Kame- hameha Homes, Kūhiō Park Terrace, Mayor Wright Homes and Ka‘ahumanu Housing.
Kauhi is probably recognized more for his work as an actor and stuntman — not to men- tion his impressive résumé that includes being a champi- on bodyboarder, title-holding bodybuilder, model and boxer — than he is for his altruistic pursuits.
Kauhi donated water from Aloha Alkaline and Wai Koko to first responders from hospitals to those within the Honolulu Po- lice and Honolulu Fire depart- ments. More recently, he’s done the same for families impacted by the U.S. Navy’s Red Hill con- tamination issues.
Suffice to say, the events were well-received based on the holi- day cheer they brought to these underserved communities.
He’s even had notable achievements as an entrepre- neur. Aside from being the founder of Aloha Alkaline, Mi- cronan Inc. and Honua Renew- able, he also co-founded Aloha O Vitamin Water and Kanaka Pride aloha shirts. Additionally, he’s a part-owner of Wai Koko Coconut Water.
In recent years, he also helped donate to children, teachers and faculty at Wai‘anae and Mākaha elementary schools in desperate need of air conditioning units.
Kaui Kauhi (right) worked as a double for actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson during the filming of two Jumanji movies. PHOTO COURTESY KAUI KAUHI
“When I went to those hous- ing (areas), they needed it more than anybody on the island. That’s just what I saw,” he ex- plains.
Despite being a man of var- ied talents, it’s still charity work that tugs on his heartstrings and brings him the most joy.
sional athlete, boogie boarding, modeling, acting, working with The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), being an entrepreneur, riding
private jets, it’s all great. It’s a good memory,” he admits. “But nothing sticks to my heart more than Mālama Da Keiki.”
Remarkably, the 45-year-old
At the start of the pandemic,
“Doing all these different things, from being a profes-
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n March 10, Kauhi’s Four One Boxing club turns 1. He established the club to help trou- bled youth not only learn athletic skills, but develop a positive at- titude in life. Just last month, he threw a huge, festive Super Bowl party at his Waimānalo home to
pants are experiencing varying degrees of difficulty in school or at home.
through a challenging childhood. His father was in prison for most of his life while his mother ba- sically left him and his broth- ers when they were still young. Thankfully, their grandparents were around to raise them.
didn’t listen to teachers ... just because I didn’t have guidance at home ... and that’s why I think I can relate to all the kids that’s in my (boxing) program,” he says.
For as much aloha as he shows to others, Kauhi is always grate- ful when he witnesses others giv- ing back, too. He mentions one particular special family member who has helped him reinvest in his businesses and run his boxing program.
raise funds for the club.
“We won six tournaments,
“They just had trouble in certain areas of their lives. And that’s why I said I wanted to make it a troubled youth pro- gram, because boxing is more about life lessons than actually boxing to really be honest. (I’m) just trying to mentor them to do the right things in life, to make the right choices in life and al- ways be honest with yourself and also with me,” he emphasizes.
“My childhood growing up was very hard and difficult. My grandpa and grandma raised me with about 25 family members in one house. Being on welfare, it was very hard and we were a struggling family,” he remem- bers.
Despite his academic chal- lenges, Kauhi discovered a pas- sion for athletics at a young age.
“My auntie Sophie Kauhi, I thank her. She gave me an op- portunity to move in with her family on Hawaiian homestead lands. I take care of the bills and her. She helped me and my fam- ily survive,” he adds.
collecting seven belts, six silver medals, one team trophy and a second place-overall boxer award,” he says in highlighting the club’s accomplishments in its first season. “So in a short period of time, we accom- plished a lot.”
“As a kid, I enjoyed all the sports. At the age of 15, I fell in love with body boarding ... win- ning multiple state and national titles within three years.”
Kauhi says the concept for the club came after one of his daugh- ters, Tanaiah, asked the former pugilist to teach her how to box.
Kauhi points out that he can relate to many of his troubled boxers because he, too, struggled
“I was a really rascal kid growing up. I didn’t have much, but I was real naughty. I mean, I
“In 1999-2001 is when Bay- watch: Hawai‘i was starting filming and I got picked to be an original Hawaiian lifeguard on the show with Brian Keau- lana. And then, after that, I went into my career of being a model, being in local calen- dars,” says Kauhi, who enjoyed roles in several Hollywood pro- ductions that include the first two Jumanji movies, as well as Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
In a moment of reflection, Kauhi says he is motivated in all of his endeavors by a deep-seat- ed aloha spirit that has been passed down from generation to generation.
“For some reason she felt like she had to learn how to protect herself. She thought she was go- ing to get bullied going into high school,” explains Kauhi, who along with wife Kahea have two other children, Teah and Tanoah.
In the early 2000s, he also branched out into the world of fitness and bodybuilding. It cul- minated with him being crowned Mr. Hawaiian Islands in 2008.
“If you’re a pure Hawaiian like my grandfather, he told me this: ‘Aloha is just a word. You either have it in you, or you don’t. You cannot teach the word ʻaloha,’ ” says Kauhi. “He told me that a long time ago and that always sticked to me.
The club currently trains about 25 youngsters and Kauhi says about half of the partici-
Developing a positive outlook on life is just as important as learning the art of hand-to- hand combat for members of Four One Boxing. PHOTO COURTESY WILL ENGLEMAN
“For me, that’s something that I love to spread, in anything I do.”
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