Posted on: Monday, October 11, 2004
Cycling was victim's 'passion'
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
HAWAI'I KAI — Ernest Sakai loved to ride his bicycle, his children said yesterday, recalling the way their father meticulously recorded the distance of his rides on a calendar.
Photo courtesy of Ernest Sakai family Ernest Sakai, 68, was fatally injured when he was hit from behind on Kalaniana'ole Highway at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Police said the driver of a black Chevy pickup lost control and hit Sakai near Kaimoku Place.
The driver of the truck, a 22-year-old East Honolulu woman, and her passenger, a 2-year-old boy, were not injured, police said. Police have opened a negligent homicide investigation but have made no arrests. The investigation is continuing, police said yesterday.
Sakai picked up cycling late in life, following his retirement as an apartment complex maintenance man more than a decade ago, his children said. He quickly became an avid cyclist, riding three times a week from his home in Hawai'i Kai on the bike lanes along Kalaniana'ole, one of the busiest bikeways on the island.
He was awaiting delivery of an onboard computerized device that would record his distances and other ride information, son Yves said.
"My dad, he's from that generation that I'm not from; he could do anything," said Yves, one of Ernest and Lynette Sakai's three children. "When he's determined to do something, he'd do it. He even worked to make the flowers (in his garden) more robust."
Ernest Sakai started dating Lynette, his wife of 47 years, at McKinley High School. The two were inseparable, their children said, and since Lynette never learned how to drive, Ernest chauffeured her everywhere. Sakai loved to drive his family around, his daughter April Sherlock said, and was always available to pick up his three grandchildren.
"He used to like to scare the kids," said Sherlock, gesturing to her two daughters as family members gathered yesterday at their parents' home. "He would hide in his room or by the stairs when he knew they were coming and scare them. He was always joking."
Daughter Jodie Sakai said her father used to drive her to dances when she was in school and wait in an out-of-the-way area in case she needed him.
"We are comforted by the fact that he died doing something he loved, which is riding his bike," Jodie Sakai said. "I'm just worried about Mom."
Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8110.
"Bicycling was one of the joys and passions of his life," said Yves Sakai, a day after his father was struck and killed by a truck while riding along Kalaniana'ole Highway.
Ernest Sakai was an avid cyclist following his retirement, riding three times a week along the Kalaniana'ole Highway bike lane.
