Friends and family of a 51-year-old Hawaiian Paradise Park man who was swept out to sea by a wave at Kaloli Point last weekend are using social media to express their shock and grief.
Police on Thursday identified the missing fisherman as Joseph Leialoha. He was last seen about 50 yards offshore at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday after storm surge from Tropical Storm Niala sent a wave crashing onto a cliff and washed him away.
The Coast Guard searched Saturday and Sunday for Leialoha but suspended its effort after two days. Adverse conditions brought on by the storm surf hampered recovery efforts by Hawaii Fire Department’s rescue unit. In a written statement, the department said it had terminated its search at sunset Wednesday “pending any new developments.”
Leialoha’s sister, Terri Nelson, posted photos of various stages of Leialoha’s life from childhood to the recent past and wrote, “In loving memory of my brother Joseph Leialoha that has passed away.”
Nelson declined Thursday to speak to the Tribune-Herald but posted a meme on Facebook with a photo of calm surf with the caption, “Might not be tonight, tomorrow or the next day … but everything’s gonna be okay.”
A friend, Cheryl Guadiz, described Leialoha online as “such a wonderful man and always treated everyone with respect.”
“My heart and my prayers goes out to his family. Just can’t believe (he’s) gone,” she wrote.
Leialoha was a divorced father with a 7-year-old daughter who, according to his Facebook page, went to San Bernardino High School in Southern California.
His ex-wife, Laurie Leialoha, requested, “Please everyone say a prayer for a good friend and father of my children Joseph Leialoha.”
“And please heavenly father I know I might be asking (too) much but can you please help them to keep all memories alive keep them strong keep them together for they will need each other and they will need your loving hands,” she wrote.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
