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Family of
drowned man pays
for living memorial
Firefighters use the funds to
By Leila Fujimori
buy underwater scooters that
divers can use for rescues
and Mary Adamski
Star-BulletinThe family of a man who died in rough water off Kailua Beach a year ago has funded a living memorial to him in the form of underwater diving vehicles to be used in future ocean search and rescue operations.
The wife and parents of Marine Lance Cpl. Kenneth Abell, 21, were to install a plaque this morning at the Pawaa Fire Station, headquarters for the department's Rescue One unit. The marker expresses the family's appreciation for the searchers' efforts after Abell was swept by high surf from a rocky ledge on one of the twin Mokulua islands. His body was never found.
The family from Bowie, Md., last year donated $4,500 for water rescue needs to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Pat Abell said that after the Feb. 12 tragedy that took her son, family and friends "were asking me what should we do. We said let's set up a memorial fund. Donations poured in, it was incredible.
"From the very beginning, we wanted donations to go to rescue efforts. We need to do what we can do to prevent it from happening again."
Robert Abell came out last year during the search to support his son's wife, Katherine, who married the young Marine just two months before his death. The victim's mother, younger brother, and other family and friends joined them on their return to Hawaii yesterday. They will hold a private memorial observance for Kenneth on Saturday.Pat Abell said they left it up to the Honolulu Fire Department to decide how to spend their donation, and today was to be their first glimpse of the new underwater craft.
Department divers have been test-driving the four James Bondish, propelled scooters, which look like small torpedoes with handles, off Ala Moana Beach. Two will go to each of the rescue squads which now respond to water emergencies in motorboat, inflated Zodiac craft, surfboard and scuba diving gear.
"It will add a whole new dimension to search capabilities," said Honolulu Fire Chief Attilio K. Leonardi. The scooters will make it possible for rescue personnel to cover a search area faster and stay underwater longer, he said.
"It will be well-used," said Rescue One Capt. Ray Lum. "It has a lot of power that moves you along pretty good." Lum said that instead of a diver using up a scuba tank's air by exerting energy to move through the water, "It will help us conserve energy."
Lum and his crew took part in the search for Abell, an accounting analyst for Marine Forces Pacific at Camp Smith, who ran afoul of winter surf after he and other Marines had paddled kayaks to the tiny island.
The search was called off after three days because of the rough weather. Searchers returned later in the week after waters had calmed but they did not find the body.
"We were unsuccessful, but they were very grateful for our effort," fire Capt. Richard Soo said about the Abell family. "We're very grateful to them."
Lum said when the rescue squad uses scuba gear in searches, they tow a float to show the accompanying boat where the divers are. They usually search by swimming in a defined area, then move on. "Using the underwater scooter, we can scan the whole shoreline area, it moves around at a good clip," Lum said.
A propeller drives the battery-powered vehicle through the water while the diver holds onto handles at the rear. A similar device was used in the movie "The Rock," with Sean Connery, which was recently shown on island television.
The Abell family is being assisted during its six-day stay by the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii.
