City reserves Christmas tree for angel
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Patrick Onishi didn't want to celebrate Christmas.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
It was his daughter's favorite time of the year.
City Managing Director Ben Lee studies ornaments on the only tree in the annual Honolulu Hale display that does not follow this year's Christmas song theme: It is decorated with angel ornaments made by Nu'uanu Elementary School students in memory of Dara Rei Onishi, 26, who was killed Aug. 9 by a boulder that crashed into her parents' home.
But since her death in August, he hasn't been in the holiday mood.
"Home is not a home right now," Onishi said quietly.
He changed his mind when Nu'uanu Elementary School wanted to dedicate a Christmas tree in her memory. Realizing that in his loss lies hope, he went out and bought his own Christmas tree.
The students at Nu'uanu made angel ornaments to honor 26-year-old Dara Rei Onishi, who died in August when a boulder tumbled down the slope behind the family home on Henry Street, crashed through the house and struck her as she slept. She had attended Nu'uanu Elementary until third grade, when she transferred to Punahou School.
Her parents, whose two sons had also gone to Nu'uanu, were active in the school's parent organization, Aikane O Nu'uanu.
"We never did anything as a school ... so we felt this would be a good time to do something special for her," said principal Eleanor Fujioka.
The tree is one of more than a dozen on display at the 18th annual Honolulu City Lights, the city's seasonal festival that begins Saturday with an electric light parade, concert and the traditional tree-lighting ceremony at Honolulu Hale.
Onishi's will be the only decorated tree in the courtyard to depart from the theme Na Mele Kalikimaka (The Songs of Christmas).
Jo Ann Oshima, a part-time second-grade teacher at Nu'uanu and close friend of the Onishis, proposed the project as a way to remember Dara, who worked with her class four years ago to decorate two multicultural-themed Christmas trees at Honolulu Hale. At the time, Dara was teaching at a middle school in Japan, and her students made ornaments to hang alongside students' ornaments from Nu'uanu.
This year, instead of continuing the multicultural theme, Oshima chose an angel motif, feeling it was an appropriate way to remember Dara.
Every student made an angel ornament, and three were selected from each classroom for the tree. There are lacy angels, Hawaiian angels, feathery angels, sparkly angels — each as unique as the child who made it. Encircling the tree is a red paper garland with the name of every student at Nu'uanu.
Yesterday, three students — two who in the second-grade class four years ago for the Christmas tree project with Dara — helped decorate the tree at Honolulu Hale.
Dara's tree stands between the Department of Planning and Permitting, where her father used to work, and the office of the managing director, where she was an administrative assistant.
"Everybody feels that Dara was an angel in the way she lived her life," said city spokeswoman Carol Costa. "We're very proud of the way the tree is placed. It ties it all together."
Oshima knew it would be a difficult Christmas for the Onishis.
"This was really Dara's special time of the year," Oshima said. "Her parents weren't looking forward to Christmas."
Appreciative and emotional, her parents showed up yesterday at Honolulu Hale to thank the children and teachers for dedicating their tree to her memory.
"We were overwhelmed by such a loving expression," said Patrick Onishi. "We were very touched by it. ... It really warmed our hearts."
The Onishis hung their own ornament: a ballerina angel floating in the clouds, as if in heaven.
"They said as they were leaving that this was the best Christmas present," Oshima said. "That makes it all worth it."
Patrick Onishi said the beaming ballerina reminded him of his daughter, who was always smiling.
"She had an infectious smile," he said, remembering the girl who loved ballet. "She was just a bright, shining light."
He thought the theme fitting for his daughter, who has been called an angel since her death. That was the way his sister described Dara to her 2-year-old grandson — now an "angel in heaven."
"It's a nice way to remember her," Patrick Onishi said. "It was sad to lose her, but we're all doing fine. It just takes a while to adjust to the idea."
He said they found ways to deal with their loss, from renewing their faith to realizing the love and kindness in the world.
"There's so much to be thankful for," Patrick Onishi said. "We recognize that you have to enjoy life and be thankful. Because life is very unpredictable."
