HAWAIIAN STYLE
Waiter's gift of life to customer hospitality at its best
Each Wednesday Walter Nishioka takes his seat for his weekly brunch at Trellisses restaurant at the Radisson Waikiki Prince Kuhio and marvels at how such a simple routine became life-saving — and how his waiter's offer of "the kidney" last year became life-changing.
Nishioka, a retired small-businessman from McCully, was dying of kidney disease. For three years doctors tried in vain to find a transplant donor — until Jose Racasa, his regular waiter at Trellisses, heard of his plight.
Racasa offered Nishioka one of his kidneys. It was a match, and on April 3, 2002, doctors put a part of Racasa into Nishioka.
"April (2003) was the first year of my new life," says Nishioka, 71. "I still get up and think I'm dreaming."
Racasa, 52, is a man of few words when talking about his gift to Nishioka. The native of Luzon, Philippines, said he wanted to "give back" to the country that has given him so much.
"You've got to help!" he said, giving you the feeling his decision wasn't a decision at all.
Co-workers say they aren't surprised by Racasa's generosity. Hotel general manager Gary Jutz said Racasa has a phenomenal knack for recalling customers' names, where they're from and their usual orders.
Racasa has taken tourists sightseeing on his days off and learned sign language to communicate with hearing-impaired diners, he said.
"Jose's friendliness and goodness of humor is an international language that has no barriers," Jutz said.
When Nishioka arrived each Wednesday for eight years for a bite before his Rotary meeting at the Prince Kuhio, Racasa knew his order by heart: hot water (for tea), one pancake, one piece of bacon. "Sometimes he'd change," Racasa said, "Well-done rye toast."
"More like koge (burnt)," said his daughter, Nadine Nishioka.
Four years ago he lost his appetite. Doctors soon delivered the news: His kidneys were shutting down, and without a transplant, the next year could be his last.
The wait for an available kidney would likely be five to seven years.
Family members were screened as possible donors, and Nadine tested as a potential candidate. "I would have died," she said, "to keep him alive." But days before the surgery, a urine test showed her not to be the perfect match doctors needed.
Nishioka went to Los Angeles to be put on the waiting list for a cadaver kidney. When his ol' pal missed his weekly Wednesday meal, Racasa worried. The next Wednesday, Nishioka calmly explained: he'd gone to register for a kidney transplant.
The next Wednesday Racasa had two surprises for Nishioka: He went to get tested as a possible donor, and he was a perfect match for Nishioka.
Nishioka was stunned, but said Racasa was "more excited than me!"
"I was soooo happy!"
Nishioka said. "But gratitude is one of the hardest (sentiments) to bear."
Sitting by Nishioka's side after the surgery, tears filled Racasa's eyes — they were tears of joy. Nishioka now calls him "my brother — my savior."
Recently, Racasa stood before thousands of his fellow hotel industry workers on the Mainland to accept the American Hospitality and Lodging Association's award as employee of the year. He was also recognized as employee of the year by the Radisson hotel chain and the Hawai'i Hotel Association.
Looking back, Nishioka marvels at one surprise of the surgery: So successful was the operation, the kidney began working even before he was stitched up.
"He's got great kidneys," Nishioka said of Racasa.
"And a great heart," his daughter said.
The Advertiser's Wade Kilohana Shirkey is kumu of Na Hoaloha O Ka Roselani No'eau. He writes on Island life.
