Posted on: Saturday, December 11, 2004

Tourist's pain eased by spirit of aloha

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

A Japanese visitor who was set on fire at a bus stop by a Kane'ohe youth wants Hawai'i residents to know that she is haunted by the incident but that she has been comforted by the community kindness that followed.

Yuko Keida, 19, was at a Kailua bus stop on Sept. 19 when a 12-year-old boy intentionally set her shirt on fire. Keida suffered second-degree burns.

"I have been terribly traumatized by this incident," Keida said in a written statement released yesterday by the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i. "To this day I cannot forgive the young boy who did this to me."

The boy, whose identity was never made public because of his age, was "punished" in Family Court, the statement said. But the boy's youth also means that all details of his case will not be made public.

Keida said she is recovering and has started a new semester of college in Japan. She had been on an exchange program at Kapi'olani Community College at the time of the attack.

"Fortunately, the pain from the burns has lessened and the blisters on my back, hands, fingers and arms have healed," she said.

Keida said the outpouring of community support helped her through the crisis.

She thanked the Honolulu prosecutor's office and the Visitor Aloha Society.

"I am truly touched by the people of Hawai'i who have shown me such kindness," she said.

Jessia Lani Rich, president and executive director of the society, said it was unfortunate that the public won't know what happened to the boy.