StarBulletin.com

Boy's organs will save others


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POSTED: Sunday, June 06, 2010

Shirley and Lamar De Rego of Waimea prayed for a miracle Monday when their 14-year-old son was airlifted to Honolulu with head injuries after a golf cart crash.

Bronson Duke Nainoa De Rego, a Honokaa High School freshman, died Thursday at the Queen's Medical Center but his organs saved the lives of at least three people, his mother said.

“;God performed a multitude of miracles in our son's name,”; she said.

The boy was flown to Queen's after falling from the back of a golf cart on Mana Road in Waimea on the Big Island. He was one of three passengers in the cart, driven by a 15-year-old girl.

The De Regos, who have been in Honolulu since Monday, planned to talk to the families of the children involved in the accident to find out what happened.

Police said the boy was riding in the back of the cart and fell off when the driver made a sharp left turn into a driveway. Traffic investigators began a negligent-homicide investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

“;Duke was a beautiful young boy, a very kind young man with a very gentle heart,”; his mother said. “;He was loved by our community. He was just a great kid.

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“;It's a tragedy what happened to our son. ... but out of this tragedy Duke was able to bless other people and that's the miracle for us,”; she said. “;People were at the bedside of loved ones praying for a gift to help them. We know how that is because we were at the bedside of our son praying for his life.”;

When the doctor in charge said everything possible was done for their son, she said, “;My husband and I had a discussion about donating our son's organs to help other people.”;

The De Regos lost a 10-year-old son, Alexander “;Alika,”; five years ago during a camping and fishing trip on the South Kona shoreline. An intensive search was unable to find the boy.

Lamar De Rego is an instructor-coordinator for the Hawaii Laborer's Training Program and his wife is branch manager for a mortgage company.

To lose two young sons within five years is “;unthinkable,”; she said. “;But we are firm believers that God has a plan for us. Our faith is pulling us through this time.”;

She said 80 to 100 people went to Queen's this week from the Big Island and Oahu to see the boy and pray with the family.

“;He was a great, great, great son, so cheerful and so loving,”; said the boy's grandmother, Eloise Martin of Honolulu. “;He lit up a room. People in Waimea loved him so much.”;

Martin said her grandson had a beautiful heart and eyes and she wants to meet the people who receive them. “;They'll be blessed and they're blessing Dukie.”;

Shirley De Rego said her son “;was a great baseball player”; who planned to try out for the sophomore team in the fall and he also was in a boxing club. He played football last year and was going to attend a “;Just Win Football Camp”; in Hilo this month.

He trained to keep in shape, getting up at 4:30 a.m. every day to work out at a gym with his father before school, his mother said.

He was about 6 feet tall, weighed about 235 pounds, and was “;a handsome, kind, gentle-spirited boy,”; she said. “;He was my partner because he was the last one home.”;

His siblings include brothers Lamar Auwae De Rego and Kaleo Gambill and sisters Ululii Sansano, Ulu Aloha Naumu and Ululani Faitau.

A celebration of his life will be planned.