WAIPAHU — Life for Greta Tanonaka, 72, had turned a corner recently, with her health improving from four years ago and reunited with her only child.

The Huakai Street resident was getting out more and was on her way to a party when a pickup truck with an 11-year-old boy at the wheel crashed through a hollow-tile wall Saturday and crushed her, leaving her in critical condition.

She died the next day at The Queens Medical Center where she underwent surgery, said Josefina Badua, who had cared for Tanonaka for four years.

Police said they have opened a negligent homicide case and are still investigating. No arrests have been made, police said.

Tanonaka had been living in Badua's home since she became ill four years ago, after her husband's death, Badua said. Early this year, Tanonaka's son, Albert, moved in as well.

Badua had given up her caregiver business for health reasons but had allowed Tanonaka and her son to live in a downstairs portion of her home.

"He was so happy from January to this month (when) they lived together," Badua said. "At least that was good for the two of them because long time the son did not live with the mother."

Badua said she and Greta Tanonaka were about to leave for a party when the crash occurred.

"I used to bring her everywhere," she said. "She met all my friends and they loved her because she's a good lady. She's mellow. They even hug her."

Tanonaka was waiting downstairs inside the gated property. Police said Tanonaka was behind the hollow-tile wall when she was struck.

Badua said she always thought of her home as safe. The gate was always locked to keep her clients inside, and the hollow-tile wall gave her confidence that nothing could harm her or her family.

"We did not think inside is dangerous," she said.

Badua said Tanonaka had become like a family member and Badua would still watch over her when her son went to either of his two jobs.

Tanonaka, she said, comes from a family of 12 siblings, and she just had the one child. She was raised on the plantation in Waipahu and worked for a while at Liberty House in the cosmetics department, Badua said.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office listed the cause of Tanonaka's death as "multiple blunt force injuries due to a motor vehicle collision."

The father of the boy at the wheel of the pickup also was hurt in the accident. He reportedly tried to stop the pickup when it backed down a driveway at the family home, crossed the road and slammed into the wall in front of Badua's home.

The boy's mother, Fuatino Laulu, said on Sunday that her son, Paul, was too shaken up to recall or talk about details of the accident.

The boy's father, 42-year-old Antonio Laulu, said he was standing next to the truck and teaching his son about driving when the accident occurred. Laulu's foot and leg were run over by the family's 2002 Nissan pickup.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.