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As hospital vigil
nears a year, co-workers
rally to aid family
Friends organize to help
By Lori Tighe
the parents of Brianne, 5,
handicapped from birth
Star-BulletinHer parents arrive in her hospital room and she cries a happy cry, as if saying, "I'm so glad you're here."
Her doctor measures her up-and-down recovery "by the volume of her smile."
Although Brianne Nakahara can't speak, she communicates beyond her means through body language and subtleties.
Born severely handicapped, she lived a relatively healthy life, going to the beach and school until last year. She has spent her fifth year of life in Kaiser Hospital with pneumonia, high fevers, and no definitive diagnosis.
With one of her parents, Shari or Nathan Nakahara, by her side for the past 12 months, the family is near financial ruin. Their year-old son, Quinn, has rarely experienced his family together.
"We are approaching a year now," Nathan Nakahara said. "How long can we go on? We'll go another year and another year, and another after that.
"I know we will be with Brianne until she comes home. Stretching ourselves thin is secondary."
Rachel Ariola, Shari Nakahara's co-worker in customer service at United Airlines, asked the Nakaharas' permission to help them.
"They are a true inspiration," Ariola said. "They never asked for any help. It's an ongoing struggle, and financially, they're struggling. We all wanted to do more. So we said, let's extend it to the community."
Co-workers volunteered to cover Shari Nakahara's shift so she could keep her job and medical benefits and be with her daughter. Nathan Nakahara's employer, Senetics, an office furniture business, granted him ample time off and a flexible schedule.
"Every child deserves a chance," said Ariola, a mother of two.
Now 2,000 United Airlines employees and backers that include Zippy's and Sam Choy's are raising money with a spaghetti dinner and raffle Wednesday.
An account, named "For Brianne's Sake," has been opened for public donations at First Hawaiian Bank.
Born a special-needs child from a fluke during pregnancy, Brianne has the cognitive ability of a 6-month-old. She's all smiles, sighs and playfulness, except when she feels pain.
"You have kids for many reasons," Nathan Nakahara said. "Once I had my first child, I learned the truth of unconditional love. Only then I realized how much unconditional love I received when I was young."
Despite Brianne's challenges, the Nakaharas lived a normal life filled with school days and beach weekends until she became ill.
She couldn't digest her food and suffered high fevers. Her stomach virus turned to pneumonia, and Kaiser Hospital admitted her last April.
For the first six months, either Nathan or Shari Nakahara stayed with her around the clock.
"We didn't want her to be overlooked," her mother said. They also didn't want to miss her smile, which will "light up a whole room."
Nathan Nakahara went part-time and Shari went on leave. They see each other in passing -- an hour or two a day between shifts at the hospital.
"It's been emotionally draining. We take it one day at a time. It gets hairy. Sometimes I wonder if it's her time," Shari Nakahara said, her voice breaking up.
Brianne's doctor, pediatric intensive care specialist Dr. James Griffith, believes she will get better and one day go home. Although some of his peers advised him to stop hoping for the girl, Griffith refuses.
"All you have to do is visit her once or twice and you say, 'Uh-uh, I'm not giving up.' "
