"We found out he had liver cancer last year," his daughter Joni said yesterday. "That is what he passed from."

Tanuvasa, who recently served as Pearl City High School's varsity football coach, was in San Diego visiting family and making funeral arrangements for his younger brother, Aifua Folafolanga "Fola" Tanuvasa, who died March 16, the daughter said. Fola was 42.

Yesterday, friends remembered Onosai Tanuvasa as a generous ambassador in the Samoan community who excelled on the high school football field by becoming the first Interscholastic League of Honolulu running back to rush for 1,000 yards.

In his record-setting senior season in 1969, Tanuvasa rushed for 1,076 yards on 179 carries, and scored 13 touchdowns in nine games.

Tanuvasa accomplished the feat in the last season before the public schools — Farrington, Kaimuki, Kalani, McKinley and Roosevelt — departed the ILH to join the O'ahu Interscholastic Association.

At Farrington, Tanuvasa played defensive end as a sophomore, but coaches later switched him to running back after seeing his ball-carrying skills.

Considered a big running back at 5 feet 11 and 195 pounds, Tanuvasa said he was bigger than most of his linemen, and he could outrun, barrel through or leap over opponents.

"The Samoan community, we were all so proud of him," said family friend Gus Hannemann. "We knew there were other people in addition to Samoans who would come out and cheer for him."

Tanuvasa never turned down anyone asking for a favor and recently donated football shoulder pads to needy children in Samoa, Hannemann said.

"He brought out the best in the Samoan way of life and the Samoan way of doing things," Hannemann said. "This guy, he could never say 'no' to anyone. Even if it was something (Tanuvasa) couldn't do, he would say, 'I'll get it to you.' "

Tanuvasa attended the University of Oregon for two years, and following a change of coaches there, he transferred to the University of Hawai'i for the 1974 season.

After his collegiate career, Tanuvasa coached at the Pop Warner level for 18 years. He also was an assistant at Moanalua in 1979 for Larry Arnold, also a former Rainbow, and an assistant for two years at Pac-Five under Don Botelho. Tanuvasa accepted the Pearl City football coaching job in 2002.

"Football was his passion, it gave him the drive to do other things in life," said Tanuvasa's son Shane, who also coached with his father. "The way he coached, he made the kids believe in him, and made the kids believe in themselves. When he coached, it wasn't only about football. He tried to make all his players and coaches a better person."

Tanuvasa was born on Jan. 27, 1952, in American Samoa.

He is survived by his wife, Lorraine; sons, Shane and Michael; daughters, Joni and Karli. Funeral services are pending.