A handful of friends chipped in to bring over Dreamland Skateparks to build the big bowl at the Cholo’s (Mexican Food) compound in 2004. BTW the bowl just turned 18.
Within a few weeks of completion Kalani and his dad David were regulars. I’ve known Kalani since he was 6 years old. He’d jump out of the truck with all his pads and Evel Knievel helmet on and skate with who ever was sessioning.
Kalani looked like the character Timmy Lupus from Bad News Bear. One day I asked PK if he remembers the Bad News Bears movie. The original one (
@bonzer5fin is in). PK replies it’s the only one worth mentioning. I point to Kalani and go Timmy Lupus. Kalani was called Timmy from there on for awhile. He did an interview when he was probably 10 and in the stats it said nicknames and he listed Timmy Lupus. Haha.
I hadn’t seen Kalani in years but a couple weeks back I was skating Kapolei and one of the ripper kids was skating with another ripper I didn’t recognize. I rolled over and heckled KJ and rolled back to where the old men hang and asked whose the ripper. Tony goes that’s Kalani. No way. I skate back over and we laugh and he gives me a big hug and we share stories with KJ including the one above.
A week later saw him surfing Bowls with Seth Moniz. Another big hug and more catching up.
I’m so glad I got to reconnect surf and skate with him before his horrible passing.
RIP Kalani.